The Black Knight
by Chaos Nightbringer
Summary: Lelouch vi Britannia, the third prince of Britannia, has returned from years of hell and conflict to destroy the old world and create anew. AU Lelouch-Kallen, Lelouch-Euphemia. Suzaku bashing. Rated M for mature content and sexual material. Patience will be needed and rewarded.
1. Turn 01

**The Black Knight**

Disclaimer: the following is a non-profit fanbased fiction. Code Geass is owned by...whoever it is owned by. Please support the official release.

Rated M- if you are not comfortable with cursing I may put up a censored version on enough requests, but I'd really rather not have to. And maybe future lemons.

 **Turn 01: Dawn of a Demon**

In the Britannian Crown City of Pendragon, surveillance trucks were always running through the streets after seven o'clock. Only Britannians were allowed out after that time, while the people of foreign birth were kept to a strict curfew. Kallen Stradtfeld was half Britannian, but not legally, the child of an affair by a citizen of Britannia and a daughter of a Japanese immigrant construction worker. She was fixing her makeup, trying to get the right mix between class and allure. If she could marry a Britannian like the one she was visiting tonight she could possibly rise above her birth in the eyes of the government and people around her.

'The college for specially needed children today mourned for the tragic fire that occurred here behind me just a few years ago. Among the dead was one of our Illustrious Emperor's many children, the prince, Lelouch vi Britannia.' Kallen glanced at the television to watch the news broadcast. She'd just been able to get a job for the broadcast company three years ago herself in the mail room. Slipping into her burgundy dress, she twirled once and began to straighten the covering over her, then decided to tug the v-neckline down a few inches to expose the tops of her breasts. She peered out the window to see the massive building that the television was talking of, the College. But everybody just wound up calling it the great tombstone. Nobody ever seemed to leave the school.

Grabbing her purse as she left, she stepped into the dark streets and gave a quick glance around. She was still half Japanese, and though it wouldn't be an immediate arrest for her, she'd still heard that the lesser arrests could often be worse for younger women. As she began to walk, she heard the sweeper truck coming and ducked into an alley, right into the chest of a larger Britannian man in the black finery of the intelligence division.

"What's this then?" asked the man lecherously. "Got your papers tonight love?" Kallen help up her small purse, popped it open, and started to reach in. The officer shoved his hand in on top of hers pulled two cards from it. "A fake I.D. In case you get caught out after curfew, eh? Whatcha think the punishment is for that, Rolph?"

"Oh requiring a good strip search on the spot at least, Earl," said another man from behind Kallen. She looked over her shoulder to see two more dressed as the first.

"I'm trying to get to my older brother. He's very sick and on the deathbed, sirs." Kallen lied in her best cockney accent. "Rob's gone under with the grey lung."

"The grey lung, eh? Well, Rolph here's got somewhat of a colored body part problem hisself. Was it the blues there Rolph?" The first man asked, grabbing Kallen's shoulder, smiling. Kallen's heart began to race. Dammit, why did she agree to a date _after_ curfew? They began to grab her arm, the third man grabbing the front of Kallen's dress to pull it forward and glimpse under. Kallen began to sob, cursing her luck. Her mind instantly began to race, wondering if and where the knight police find her, even if she survived. A prostitute they'd call her, the victim of the refrain dealers catching her in the dark, alone. Shirley offered to escort her to avoid such dangers. Kallen hated herself as they began to rip her dress from her body, exposing her crimson under garments.

" _What such creature requires three men to subdue?"_ asked an electronically assisted muffled voice. She turned to see another man dressed in black, but with finery much unlike her current attackers. A high-collar cloak, with gold stitching, over a purple suit. And a full helmet, black as the cloak, with a purple visor. _"A young lady. Dangerous quarry indeed."_ the voice mocked. She struggled to place what accent it was, until she realized it was pure, High Britannian.

"Milord, we found this prostitute out sellin' her wares. After curfew. We was about to examine her for evidence of her no-doubt extensive drug use, sir." Earl said, walking up to the cloaked man. Earl reached into his pocket for something. In a flash of his cloak, the helmeted stranger had grabbed his arm and withdrawn it holding a badge of his office. Kallen had barely seen the arm move. "My apologies, milord. I did not wish to go for a weapon," Earl said, but his other arm was moving for his belt.

"He's got a-" was all Kallen could get out before she heard a sickening snap, Earl screaming, and saw another flurry of movement from the masked man, grabbing Earl's other arm and relieving the rapist of his firearm. The other two quickly began to draw their guns, maintaining a grip on Kallen. They fired several times, but the only managed to hit Earl while the cloak hid behind the larger man. Throwing Earl almost five feet the black stranger fired, twice. Kallen realized she'd been screaming and it cut off into a ludicrously pathetic sob. Her dress was ripped and she was now much less covered than she had wished. The stranger dropped the firearm carefully and began to walk to Kallen.

"Oh pleasesirdon'tkillmeIwon'ttellasoul," she blurted out, retreating from his reaching hand, condensing her body and trying to make herself smaller. He lowered his arm back under his cloak, hiding it underneath, making his suit almost invisible under the large cape and collar, leaving on the collar of his suit and his helmet visible besides.

" _I'm not...eager to kill you, miss. But I do need you to remain calm. Alarm is something I wish to avoid from the authorities...for the moment,"_ masked man said. _"But understand, if you give me away, I will kill you. But in the meantime, do you need to visit a doctor, or perhaps simply get home?"_ Kallen was breathing rapidly, tears on her face. She looked at the men.

"I want to get away...from them," she said, sobbing under her breath. He looked over his shoulder and nodded, offering his hand. She took it and he walked her onto the road. A truck was passing, it stopped, and Kallen inhaled in fright. Not more...not more! A man in a white shirt and tie emerged, a scanner in hand. She heard a slight clicking from the helmet of her escort.

" _Get back in your truck, it's merely a cat, we are not here, by my order."_ The man nodded and got back in his truck, and the clicking happened again, and he looked at her. _"Could you tell me what way your home is, dear girl?"_ Kallen nodded and led him slowly back to her door. Being only a dozen feet or so, it wasn't hard to do. He helped her up the steps. She looked back down to him after she opened the door. A part of his helmet's visor cracked open, revealing a purple eye, that began to changed red and had a glowing v in it. She retreated slowly, unsure of the man standing at her door. His strange eye narrowed, and he hissed slightly to himself. His visor closed. _"What is your name, girl?"_ he asked.

"My name is Stradtfeld, milord, my christian name is Kallen," she said. He stepped up a step, offering a hand again. She took it and he lowered his helmet to touch the back of her hand briefly. Kallen realized he'd basically kissed it, and she blushed slightly. _"Sleep safely and soundly Kallen. Good night."_ He gently released her hand and walked down the steps and the street. As she went back into her house she peeled off her clothes, locking her door and barring it. She went to the shower, grabbing her pink robe and a nightgown.

The bath made her feel loved again, like she hadn't almost been raped, and hadn't been the witness to the murder of three people. Rapists, true, but still people, and who worked for the government! If surveillance had had cameras in that area, she'd could in trouble. But the bath eased her thoughts, and she assured herself it would be fine. After she forgot how long, she dried herself and dressed in her sleep gown and pulled her robe tight around her when she noticed an orange glow coming from her front windows. She walked to them to see the large building, the college of the special, burning. On each side she could see, a large symbol was burning. Kallen was horrified when she realized, it was the same as the v in the man's eye.

The massive, lion-headed throne of Britannia sat the head of the room, with the ministers of the country sitting facing it in much smaller thrones of their own. Facing them, the Holy Britannian Emperor, Charles zi Britannia looked even more imposing and angered than usual.

"You have had twelve hours since this tragedy, what are your results?" the ruler demanded, his long silver hair shaking as he roared. His firstborn son, Odysseus zi Britannia, was quite ruffled, roused as he had been just a few hours ago. Generally weak-willed and incompetent, he merely was whimpering tring to from words before his father.

"We've captured some video-footage of the terrorist, father," Schneizel zi Britannia, the second holy prince, said, from Odysseus's left. "He managed to hi-jack one of our many Gloucester Knightmare Frames we had patrolling the area, and used it to affect massive destruction on the security forces present. He even destroyed one experimental unit, the Gawain, and suffered only minor damage. Neither mine nor the Knight Police's forces were able to reacquire him. We suspect he used the sewer system to escape, the Knight Police have begun to search those tunnels. We did find three of my Intelligence officers dead. Their personal recorders captured him, and a girl they were...questioning."

Charles looked displeased, but slightly more satisfied. "Have we increased the Knight Police's presence in sensitive areas, Jeremiah Gottwald?" the Knight-Commander looked up.

"Your highness. We have doubled our patrols and presence. Knightmare Frames are now patrolling for total coverage out to 500 feet around all our jurisdictional protection. I cannot speak for Prince Schneizel's Intelligence Ministry or private forces." Gottwald looked uncomfortable.

"Mr. Diethard, how are we covering the destruction of the college?" the emperor questioned. Diethard smoothed back the hair covering one side of his face.

"Your son, Prince Clovis has been given material to repeat on his addresses to the commons, and we have several other prisoners being lined up to be assigned as scapegoats of the destruction and their capture after the heinous act, your royal highness," the former reporter said.

"I have recalled the Knights of the Rounds, they will be called upon at once if this terrorist dares to show his face again. Now, this girl. Tell me of her."

Schneizel smiled as he spoke. "She works within our press services, your highness, but will soon be arrested." The Emperor frowned angrily at Schneizel. Jeremiah looked between them. Schneizel was the clear successor since Odysseus had shown little ability to rule even his own forces. Britannia's first prince was a fine idol, but not a strong man. Schneizel was a capable commander, but only seemed to wish to fight if he knew he could win. But he had been far more capable, but had always made plays to be put in total command of the Empire ahead of the Emperor's retirement of the role. Charles zi Britannia valued results, but not so much as to lose his control.

"Lord Gottwald. Your Knight Police and the Purebloods shall execute the arrest and processing. Serve me well in this, and you could be the new Knight of Six," the emperor spoke loudly.

As Gottwald was leaving the building he entered the elevator. His second in command, Dame Villeta Nu, was waiting for him in one of the elevator's seats.

"I found out she's half-Japanese, from an immigrant worker's family. Her father was a scion of a land-owning knight, but didn't claim her or her older brother. The brother was a prominent leader in a rebel gang. The gang was destroyed, he was found overdosed on refrain," Viletta informed. Jeremiah let out a curse.

"A bloody rebel and half-breed. No wonder she wound up caught with the terrorist. We never would've had this much crime if we'd been willing to pay our own citizens a decent wage," Jeremiah said, sighing. He leaned back and put his chin in his hand. "Set up a detainment detail. No Knightmares, we don't need to make an incident. And no intelligence. We need to talk to her before Schneizel makes her disappear."

Suzaku Kururugi was strapping on his bullet-proof vest over his coverall. He did his best to ignore the looks from the Pureblood officers. Suzaku had been in the Knight Police only a few years. As he loaded his pistol and set it in the holster at his side, he thought about how far he had come, but how far the goal was still. The Britannian military typically avoided bringing any people of foreign race into their ranks. Suzaku was able to join because of his high test scores and prodigious physical abilities. But could knighthood really come to him? No knight-of-honor would have him as a squire, and knights of service were not allowed to train squires. Without a squire-hood, it would be impossible for Suzaku. He frowned, dismayed at his prospects, as he grabbed his rifle and closed the locker.

"Look here, Rog, got a 'leven what think he's a copper," said one of the men as they boarded the transport truck. The men laughed and Suzaku ignored them, glum. Perhaps if he caught this detainee he'd earn some minor recognition at least.

Kallen and Shirley were managing the mail when a woman entered. Kallen looked and saw that she too worked for B.B.C., the same as Kallen did. Kallen walked over with a fake smile plastered on her face.

"May I help you ma'am?" she asked, sweetly. The woman looked at her and formed her lips into a thin line, then spoke.

"I need someone to deliver Rivalz's tea service for him and his guests. Could you take it?" Kallen nodded.

"I know where his office is, ma'am," Kallen said and followed her to the silver-plated cart. She began to push it. After going through the elevator, she went down the hall, waving at George, the third level's guard, and started to enter Rivalz's office when she heard the voices laughing from inside the room. She knocked twice and opened the door.

"Oh, Kallen. Lelouch, Milly, this is the lovely girl I was going to introduce to you last night. Kallen, this is Milly Asplund Asheford, and the commander of the Asheford family's personal forces, Sir Lelouch Lamperouge. Both smiled at her, Milly with a sweet kindness, Lelouch with a mere curving of his lips. Milly wore a cream pantsuit and a white blouse, Lelouch wore an entirely black suit, with a longer leather coat, with a sash underneath with a sword hanging from it.

"My Lady, sir," Kallen said, nodding to them both. Rivalz stood and excused himself.

"Um, Kallen, I was surprised you didn't show up until I saw that exploding building that night. If you want to reschedule I'm free all this week after five," Rivalz said, taking her arm.

"Oh," Kallen said, surprised. She had stood Rivalz up last night, it was true, but only because of the attack, and the...stranger. "Um...maybe. I will have to check my calender."

"Oh it's quite alright, I can talk to Mary about your work if you need. But please, would you care to join us? We were just discussing some...thing. What were we talking about?" Rivalz said, asking his guests.

"Buying your old motorcycle for a shilling, you twit," Lelouch replied with a straight face. Milly chuckled and Rivalz laughed a tad. Kallen guessed that Lelouch's sense of humor was at play.

"I've never actually met a commander before," Kallen told Rivalz. He took her hand and guided her to the nearest chair.

"Milly is actually a countess, she married an Earl that works in the military research division. And Lelouch didn't join the military, he was squired by a Knight in the Emperor's court and became a Knight-of-Honor," Rivalz explained, gesturing to each in turn.

"I didn't brag about it," Milly said pointedly at Rivalz, who shrugged sheepishly.

"What is the difference between a Knight and a Knight with honor?"Kallen asked, realizing quite suddenly she knew nothing about the Britannian society she wanted to join. Lelouch smiled and sat up.

"You see Miss Stradtfeld, there are three kinds of knights. The lowest is a Knight-of-Service, which is merely a cavalryman in the military today, basically the men who pilot Knightmare Frames. They are not allowed swords, and can train no squires to become knights later. A Knight-of-Honor is a squire trained by a previous knight, and is knighted after a sufficient training, determined by the knight in question. A Knight-of-Honor is usually a member of an order, often serving a noble, and may be expected to defend that noble. We carry swords in everyday life, and are sworn to serve and defend Britannia, and so are part of the military if not necessarily ranked in the service. A Land-owning Knight-of-the-Realm is similar, but has been granted or inherited land from a Knighted parent. They are always considered high commanders in the military and lead Orders."

Kallen listened intently, absorbed by Lelouch's deep purple eyes and masculine voice. She looked at Rivalz to find him listening just as intently.

"What about the Knight of the Rounds? How do they fit in?" she asked, curious. Lelouch smiled.

"All of the knights in the realm serve the realm, but are not sworn directly to the Emperor. In history some Knights of the Realm and lower Knights of Honor have performed attempted coups. The Knights of the Round are considered the twelve best in the realm. All but one are Knights-of-Honor, the first is a Knight-of-the-Realm, and is granted governorship of any colony of the Realm they wish at a time. They're the Emperor's personal guard and-" Lelouch stopped, his friendly expression dropping. Kallen was suddenly worried as his face turned hard. Had she probed too much? Lelouch stood, walking to the door. Kallen realized that sirens were coming closer. Lelouch went to the window, peering out.

"Milly, I have to secure the building. Lock the door and only open it if I am there. The codeword is 'ravendown.'" Milly nodded as Lelouch left the room. Rivalz locked the door. Kallen took a deep breath. Were the sirens for her?

Jeremiah entered the building, followed by Villeta Nu and two tactical squad men. He turned to the rest of the squad to move forward and they entered, spreading out, weapons ready.

"Find the girl. When you find her take her alive and unharmed. If anyone is injured you'll have the injury returned on you by myself," Jeremiah said, donning a hard commander's tone over his worry. Villeta met his gaze as he turned. They both knew this wasn't adding up. What had the terrorist wanted with a half-breed Japanese mail-room girl? Had she simply been in the wrong place and the wrong time?

Kallen jumped when the security alarm was set off. What had happened? Was Lelouch alright. Milly grabbed her hand and gave a squeeze, her face a poster of confidence, Rivalz shared a sympathetic glance.

"Don't worry about Lelouch, Kallen. Only a handful of Knights could hope to match him. Hopefully he's just defusing the situation." Suddenly the television in the corner went black with a steel symbol in the center.

" _Good morning, citizens of Britannia,"_ said the voice from last night. Suddenly the helmeted stranger replaced the symbol. Kallen inhaled, shocked. _"I'm sure you've already heard about my little 'after-school party' last night. I'm sure you think whoever did it is a mass-murdering terrorist, hell-bent on destroying your lives, freedoms, hopes, dreams, and of course, country."_

Diethard was shocked at the television screens before him. He was in charge of all press in Britannia, so who was hacking into his own protocols? He began to track the signal, and found it occurring at the center of the B.B.C. building. His own building? The reporter stood up in a rage, and began to leave his office when his assistant spoke up.

"Sir, you have a call from the Emperor." Diethard cursed and took the phone.

Suzaku turned to look at the television, in pure shock.

" _There are those who don't wish for me to address you. Orders being shouted by people with no right to lead, those lovely people called the 'Government,'"_ the figure raised his arms wide, _"and do I care? Do you think I would post this across the realm, across the Empire, for THEM?! Are they the crushed, the repressed, the ones hoping for freedom? The answer is why I present you now with the truth. That college was nothing more than a laboratory! A laboratory experimenting on a power that destroys freedom itself! Destroys free will, destroys the privacy of your thoughts, the right to act, the right to move of your own accord, the right to live, the right to love as you see fit!"_ the image changed to that of many children, being locked into chairs, their head kept immobile, with their eyes red.

Kallen looked at the eyes of the children on the screen and gasped, stepping closer, dragging Milly, who was holding onto her hand. The eyes, were the same as the one that very helmeted stranger had shown her, last night.

" _This is the power forced upon the unloved and the prisoners to make them weapons in Britannia's quest to oppress all who are not Britannian! You, the immigrants and slaves brought to work that they, those upper-class degenerates, may continue their constant struggle to oppress better than their rivals! I declare now, that I, ZERO, will destroy Britannia to create a world in which all will be equal!"_

Jeremiah Gottwald turned from the television to see Diethard leaving his car closing his cellphone. Jeremiah sighed and watched the reporter walk to him.

"How did he use your system?" Jeremiah asked, weary. Diethard growled, his teeth gritted, shattering his normal composure.

" _To the forces in the B.B.C. Building we now occupy, you have seven minutes to leave this building, or I will destroy it, and you with it!"_ The screen went black, then returned back to the normal program. Suddenly a one of the tactical squad returned escorting a man in a black suit with a sword up to Jeremiah.

"I am Sir Lelouch Lamperouge, personal Knight-of-Honor of the Asheford family. My Vassal is in this building, and I need to move her," the knight said, interrupting the officer that brought him. Jeremiah nodded at the officer and he walked away.

"Did you happen to see the terrorist, sir knight?" Jeremiah asked. Lelouch gritted his teeth and shook his head.

"He seems to have left an explosive device wired into the security system however. I didn't want to risk triggering it, and I don't have the sufficient training to deal with explosives," Lelouch informed. Diethard jumped in front of Gottwald, alarmed.

"If this facility is destroyed, we have next to no reliable way to prevent the terrorist from hijacking our system again whenever he wants!" Diethard exclaimed, then began to walk quickly back the way Lelouch had come. Gottwald began to follow, along with Lelouch and Villeta.

"May I ask," Lelouch began, annoyed, "what prompted you to enter the building in the first place?" Gottwald glanced at the knight of honor before replying.

"We're tracking a girl. We believe she may know something of the terrorist, sir." Lelouch frowned. He pulled out a cell phone and began to dial.

"Excuse me, my lord, I must contact my lady," Lelouch said, stopping in the hall. Gottwald continued, ignoring him. He found Diethard at the security console, the guard unconscious. Gottwald sneered at the overweight man on the floor, intensely disgusted with his incompetence. He kicked the man in the ribs, may hap a bit too hard.

"Who knocked you out?" the Knight-Commander asked. The guard shook his head groggily.

"I can't 'member mi lord." Gottwald looked back at Diethard.

"Back away, you fool, you'll blow us all to pieces. I'm going to pull back my squad and ask for the Ordinance Disposal team." Gottwald left the room, grabbing his cell phone.

"You need to leave, I don't," the reporter shouted back at the Commander without turning as Villeta followed Gottwald.

Milly got off her phone and looked at Kallen with worry. Kallen was immediately scared again. Would the military risk Zero's threat. Milly stood up.

"We're going to get out the back. Lelouch has had the driver bring the car around. But Kallen, if they catch us we can't keep them from taking you, even as a Countess," Milly said. Kallen blinked in suprise. Why were they doing this for her? She was about to ask when a voice came from the door.

"Ravendown," Lelouch said through the door. Rivalz opened it and Milly dragged Kallen through the door. Walking quickly, the three made it to the elevator. When the door opened, Milly stopped Kallen from immediately walking through after Lelouch down the hall. Kallen made a questioning sound when Milly closed the elevator door. After a minute Milly opened the elevator door and Lelouch was there, visibly ruffled and sweating.

"You broke a sweat? You must be getting older," Milly said quietly. Lelouch gave her an irritated look.

"I had to knock them unconscious along our route in under 45 seconds. You try it," Lelouch said, leading them on again. When they saw the back door Lelouch stepped aside and let them lead, when they heard a gun click and a voice say, "Freeze!" Kallen spun to see Lelouch sigh in defeat and raise his hands. The officer began to get closer. Kallen saw Lelouch's eyes moving, and she swear she saw them deepen a thousand times. In a black flash, Lelouch had ripped the rifle from the officer's hand, and the two began to fight hand to hand. Lelouch took a hit to the side of his head, only to deliver a gut punch. The vest of the officer prevented the effect, and the man jumped back, then performed a jumping spin kick, only for Lelouch to catch the leg and throw the man into the wall. Lelouch's hand became a blur, and the officer's pistol was pointed at his own head. But the helmet had come off, and Lelouch's eyes were wide.

"How're you-" Lelouch started. But instead of finishing his sentence, he kicked the young Japanese officer in the chin, knocking him out and shooting him in the shoulder. Lelouch shoved the pistol in his coat and took the assault rifle, and gestured Milly and Kallen out the door.

Once they were outside, Kallen saw a mid-sized black car with tinted windows. Lelouch opened the door on the front passenger side, rifle raised, then nodded to Milly and opened the rear passenger door. Kallen was about to head around when Lelouch grabbed her wrist and shoved her right behind Milly, who scooted over in the back seat. Sitting inside, Lelouch scanned the alleyway and entered the shotgun seat after closing the rear door.

"Ohgi," Lelouch barked. The car started to move, surprisingly to Kallen at normal speed. She would've thought a getaway car would've sped.

Diethard suddenly cursed as a seven minute timer appeared on the security console and began counting down. Villeta and Gottwald stood straighter for a second and Gottwald cursed. Diethard began to work even harder on the computer.

"Mr. Diethard, the Ordinance squad is _eight minutes_ away," Gottwald said, annoyed, "you seem to be the best option I have at the moment. Please continue, Minister of Information." Diethard snickered as he typed furiously.

"That sounded like it was painful to say, Sir Gottwald," Diethard commented. He pressed enter and the timer jumped to thirty seconds.

"Mister. Diethard. The. Clock. Is. _Ticking._ " Villeta said, very nervous at the new countdown.

"I know, damn you!" Diethard replied. He pressed enter again and it jumped to five. "Oh fuck!" He covered his head and closed his eyes tight. Gottwald grimaced. Villeta looked up and began to pray silently. A few seconds later, there was a beep. Tentatively, Diethard opened an eye. He blinked and looked with both eyes.

QUITE AN EXPERIENCE TO LIVE IN FEAR, ISN'T IT? 0

Gottwald gave a shout of anger as he punched the monitor, shattering it. Diethard jumped from the breaking glass. Gottwald gave him a furious look and turned to see Suzaku Kururugi standing at his side.

"Kururugi, report," Gottwald said angrily. As they walked away, Villeta gave the minister of information a scowl and followed. Diethard was breathing heavily, recovering from his near-death. Yes, it was quite an experience to live in fear.

In the car, Kallen was breathing heavily, coming down from the adrenaline high of the escape. Lelouch looked back at her and Milly and began to pull on a pair of black leather gloves.

"Countess Asplund, Miss Stradtfeld, are you feeling alright? Are you shaking at all?" Lelouch asked, looking into the rear view mirror. Milly exhaled and shook her head. Kallen stammered.

"I need verbal replies please ladies," Lelouch admonished.

"I am shaking in my hands," Milly said immediately.

"I...I...-"

"Kallen, just breathe. Ohgi, find a drive through," Lelouch said. He reached into the glove box and retrieved two sodas. He turned and handed one to Milly and forced one into Kallen's hand. "May I borrow your phone please?" Kallen reached into her pocket and pulled her phone out. Lelouch traded with her, squeezing her hand reassuringly. He handed it to Ohgi, "have Billy make it untraceable please." Lelouch adjusted how he was sitting and punched his other hand.

"What? What's wrong?" Ohgi said, pulling into a drive through. He ordered burgers and large soft drinks with no ice. Kallen popped her soda following Milly's example and took a giant drink from it, the can slurping between her lips. She grimaced at the unintentional sound. She found herself giggling. Lelouch glanced back at Kallen and winked.

"One of them saw the Countess. And Kallen. And my face," Lelouch said, irritated, his face showing disappointment. "It was Suzaku." Ohgi looked at Lelouch in suprise.

"I thought he was in Japan," Ohgi said, shocking Kallen. It was not legal to call Area 11 by it's original name. Even the thought was considered illegal, but it never was really enforced to think it, though it's mention was punished with fines. Most of the time.

"You called it...you called it..." Kallen said. "You can't call it-"

"Britannia cannot destroy my country's identity, even if they destroyed it's government and sovereignty. Your brother knew that when we served together," Ohgi said, giving her an irritated glare in the mirror. Lelouch just sat back in his chair and accepted one of the large soda cups and a straw. Ohgi handed Milly the bag. Kallen accepted the large soda cup to replace the now empty can. She looked briefly for somewhere to put it, until Milly took the can and replaced one of the burgers with it.

"I think I should call Tohdoh. He may be able to help," Lelouch said, turning his head to Ohgi again. Ohgi looked thoughtful as he put the car into drive again and took off out of the parking lot. "In the meantime, what are we to do with Kallen?"

"She can shtay in the reshidensh," Milly said with a bite of burger in her mouth. Lelouch nodded with a 'yes ma'am,' and began to text on his cell phone. Milly looked at Kallen and smiled. Kallen smiled back and took a bite of burger.

Schneizel entered the room of the Britannian Broadcast Company in a light purple suit, his straw hair looking silver in the lights. Gottwald looked up and nodded to greet him.

"Knight-Commander," Schneizel said pleasantly. "How was the hunt?" Gottwald frowned. He would swear Schneizel already knew the results of the debacle.

"The Terrorist made an unexpected appearance yet again, Minister of Intelligence. It complicated the hunt and she was aided in escape. We are questioning some officers who claim to have seen her abettors. But, he was injured, and has a concussion. Not completely reliable, but still better than our bomb defuser." This last sentence was aimed at the room's newest occupant, Minister of Information, Diethard, who scowled at Gottwald as the knight-commander read a checklist of injured personnel. Schneizel didn't lose his crocodile smile.

"Perhaps I could have my people question the young officer," Schneizel offered with his honeyed voice. Gottwald growled under his breath. He tucked the checklist under his arm and looked at Schneizel.

"I didn't mention he was young. And we shall handle it, my lord. It is a matter for the Knight Police. But if the Ministry of Security or the Knight Police require assistance, we shall be sure to remember the kind offer." With this Gottwald walked past the prince, shadowed by Villeta and a sergeant of the detainment squad Gottwald had taken into the building an hour ago.

Suzaku was in the back of the detainment truck, in the questioning cell. He looked up to see a man with silver hair and a white coat with his face and hands pressed up to the glass.

'Well, hello there,' said the man with a slightly nasally voice, 'would you be Suzaku Kururugi?'

'Earl Asplund,' Knight-Commander Gottwald said behind the man. The Earl turned to face him. 'Can Kururugi assist you?'

'Oh I do hope so, Commander. I think he may be just the man I've been looking for.' Suzaku just watched, entranced by the new occurrence.

Kallen was sleepy by the time the car had stopped, and she sat up, blinking her eyes. Milly was nudging her, Lelouch was standing at the car door, offering a hand. Kallen took his hand, and got out of the car, nearly tripping but for Lelouch's holding her up by the hand. She stomped her feet to get the feeling back. Milly was walking around the back end of the car.

"Well, here it is, the Asheford Manor," Milly said. "Come along Kallen. Let's meet the family...or," Milly's expression changed to hesitancy, glancing into space, "maybe just the staff, there's not too much family left in this house, I'm afraid." Kallen blinked as she walked up the stairs, hand in Milly's. The car door closed and the car began to pull away on the gravel, and Kallen looked to see Lelouch following, taking off his gloves.

"Sir, the Count is not home currently," a guard said, dressed in the same uniform that Kallen had seen Ohgi wearing.

"That will suit our purpose. Tell Sayoko I'll help set the girl up in one of the upstairs bedrooms." Suddenly realizing again what was happening, Kallen let go of Milly's hand and back up a step.

"Oh...no, no. I don't wanna be any trouble, I mean I've gotten you in so much trouble already-" Kallen was saying until Milly interrupted her.

"Oh don't be silly, it's no problem at all," Milly said with a fierce smile, eyes closed. Lelouch cocked his head back in surprise and looked between them.

"For you," he said. Milly gave him a narrowed eye look and called him a smart ass, dragging Kallen into the house. "I'll retrieve some clothes for her," Lelouch said, turning away.

"The address is-" Kallen called after him, before he cut her short.

"I know the address. I had Milly read your I.D. to me when you were sleeping in the car," Lelouch said, not turning around as he walked away. Ohgi passed him.

"Kallen, I'll show you your room," said an Eleven woman with black hair and maid's uniform. No, Kallen remembered, a Japanese woman. Kallen smiled a bit and the maid gestured up the stairs of the manor.

"Why don't you freshen up, we'll try to have some of my clothes on the bed that you can borrow until Lelouch has some of your clothes for you to wear," Milly called after, and she walked into a deeper part of the house.

Kallen's shower felt refreshing. She had a lot to think about as she rinsed her hair. She didn't think it would be polite to waste the shampoo of her saviors. She thought of the day's events. She had seen Lelouch's eyes as he had fought with the young soldier in the hall. What she had seen had scared her even more than the gunshot. It had been hatred. Black hatred. It was like a black hole, that swallowed up all the light that had been in Lelouch's eyes previously. In the car, the light had returned when he had winked at her. But it was frightening to think of. But Lelouch and Milly felt like good people. She paused in the shower, thoughtful.

She was shocked back to reality by the now-cold water. She gasped and shut it off. She toweled off and wrapped it around her body and tucked it under, peeking into the bedroom, she once again stared at the king-sized bed, now with red sheets and a white dress on it. She looked again as she closed the door to the shower. A white dress, and nothing else.

"Shit." she did **not** want to go back out there commando. She nervously peeked into the hallway, seeing a black-dressed guard at the end with the stairs. She closed the door again and threw off the towel. Suddenly the door opened and Lelouch barged in, then froze. He slammed the door, bolting from the room after he had seen her...Kallen gave an embarrassed shout and pulled the dress on quickly, ceasing to care about undergarments.

"It's...better," she said, mortified. The door opened slowly, and Lelouch leaned in just enough to see she was in fact covered.

"Apologies." His eye narrowed at the dress. He stepped in, and Kallen saw that he had ditched the long coat and sword belt for just a pair of dress pants and a simple button shirt, both the same color as his hair. Hair like a raven's feathers. Raven...down? Kallen realized the source of the code word from earlier.

"Well, dinner, such as it is, is served. Milly was quite full after the burger. She didn't have a chance to sleep it off," Lelouch said. He smirked, sheepishly. Kallen looked down.

"Is this really appropriate?" Kallen asked. Lelouch smirked.

"More so than the alternatives." Remembering the incident a few seconds ago, Kallen blushed. "Turn around," Lelouch suddenly said, approaching. Kallen looked wide eyed at the dark-haired knight. Was he kidding? THAT? Reading her expression he continued, "you aren't zipped." Kallen looked at Lelouch, incredulous. Was she always this much of an air-head? She spun and he quickly closed the dress on her back without touching her back. Kallen wasn't sure if she was relieved, or maybe disappointed. He stepped away and began to leave.

"Um, so. I never asked, are you part of a knight order?" Lelouch paused, looked over his shoulder and smirked.

"I am indeed," Lelouch said, amused at something. Kallen waited, then asked which one.

"Why...the Order of the Black Knights, of course," Lelouch said, then he swiftly and smoothly slipped through the door. Black knights. Kallen thought it sounded ominous, and frowned to herself. Then she thought of Zero. He'd nearly gotten Kallen killed, and had made her a fugitive. Her feelings about the stranger had shifted rapidly in just a few hours. Suddenly she was worried if the same would be said of Milly and Rivalz. But a part of her was worried more about feelings for Lelouch. The Black Knight.


	2. Turn 02

**The Black Knight**

Disclaimer: Zero: Citizens of Britannia! Everything that follows is a non-profic fanfiction! Last night I destroyed the old disclaimer to remind you of what you had forgotten!

V from V for Vendetta: Why are you ripping off my stuff?

Zero using Geass: Go back to your own crap! (V puffs into smoke.)

Thanks for all the reviews, dear readers! To answer your questions, no, it won't all be v for vendetta. Two...game of thrones has incest in the first episode, why are you barbecuing me for copying it? (not to mention Euiphemia and Lelouch are barely related. Lelouch clearly takes more after his mother, and you can't pay me to believe Euphie takes after Charles genetically.) And three, I could potentially leave Pendragon for japan, yes, but Lelouch is currently operating in Britannia's beating heart. It would really be a step backwards for him to operate in Japan after Pendragon.

 **Turn 02- Lancelot**

Kallen awoke to a strange ceiling. She blinked and started to sit up, feeling the massive bed for some indicator of where she was. The massive red bed reminded her of where she was, and yesterday's events came back in a flood. She sat up and brushed her hair with her fingers, felt her new nightgown, provided by her saviors. She sighed and wondered how she was going to live from now on.

"You put her in that white dress to remind me of something," Lelouch said, annoyed, snatching a piece of bacon from his plate. Milly shrugged noncommittally.

"I might have. Or it could be a coincidence," she said, annoyed by Lelouch's tone. He narrowed his eyes and took a drink from his orange juice. Ohgi stood guard, nervously. Lelouch took another drink. Milly was looking at him, growing uncomfortable.

"Why do you have this vendetta? Why couldn't you live a normal life, stayed where you were after...what you did? You could've been happy," Milly said, leaning in, emotional. Lelouch's eyes darkened and he leaned forward, crossing his arms and putting them on the table.

"Happy? After?" He looked at her, eying her rather than turning his head. "Never." He stood, placing his outstretched hands on the table. He closed his purple morning robe around himself. "The count never came home?"

Milly looked over the table, tears in her eyes, narrowed in anger. "No." She paused, sniffing. "Thankfully." Lelouch sighed. He pushed his chair in.

"Maybe...after we're done. Maybe then I can be," he said. Milly looked up at him, hopeful. He looked at her. He frowned, the corner of his jaw twitching. He wiped a tear from his left eye. Milly looked up and smiled, trying to hide her sorrow.

"Kallen," she greeted. Lelouch looked up to see Kallen standing in the middle of the stairs, a silken robe around her nightgown, hung open. Her arms at her side.

"If...I made some trouble, I can leave. If you need the privacy," Kallen said, nervously. Lelouch looked at Milly, questioning with his eyes. She looked back at him, silently hoping. He looked back at Kallen, then back to Milly and grimaced and left the dining room. Milly's tears began to fall and she wiped them away.

"Ah, damn my horrible sleep cycle," she lied. She got up and jogged up to Kallen, grabbing her hands. "Did you sleep okay?" Kallen nodded and Milly smiled, angling her head to the left slightly, making a tear appear barely in the light. As they went to the table, they passed a pillar Lelouch was hiding behind, silently crying, his face hard, his jaw shaking slightly.

He started down the hall. Kallen watched him go, Milly following him with disinterest. Kallen looked back to Milly, silently asking whether she had to do with it.

"He's had many losses. That's all I will tell you without his permission," Milly declared. She started to offer Kallen some food.

"I will pay you back for everything, Ma'am," Kallen said, suddenly being generous again. Milly shook her head. She smiled ruefully.

"You can't pay me back for free stuff. Lelouch robs the Emperor's personal supply trains," Milly said. At Kallen's pale horror, she laughed and finished, "I'm just playing with you. So, have you ever ridden a horse before Kallen?" When Kallen shook her head, Milly asked, "would you care to try with me? It's a bit boring to ride alone, and only Lelouch rides, and well...he's always a bit busy."

Kallen stepped behind the privacy curtain while Lelouch sat in the bedroom proper, on a leather-bound chair near the drawer while he played a silent chess game with himself.

"Do I really need to wear the pants under the dress?" Kallen asked. The dress in question was a 'riding dress,' longer on one side, with a slit on the other side for easier access. The pants were a brown leather, styled a bit like jeans, but with a different cut.

"Can you ride side-saddle? In that case you do not," Lelouch said from behind the other side of the curtain. Kallen sighed and pulled the pants on. They became stuck, and Kallen tugged, only pulling them up an inch.

"Do they have to be leather?" Kallen asked. Lelouch hummed in the positive as he clicked a piece down on the wooden board. "Why are you playing chess with yourself?"

"Helps me think," Lelouch said casually. Kallen asked what, finally getting her pants up to her waist. "Helps when I'm planning the murders I commit to stay sane. Volunteering?" Kallen grunted in frustration and snapped her pants closed. She slipped the dress on, then the boots. She stepped out.

"How do I look?" she asked. Lelouch looked up.

"Ask me after you've landed in the shit," Lelouch said. Kallen glared at him as a guard came in.

"Sir, a Jeremiah Gottwald and Suzaku Kururugi at the gates." Lelouch looked from the guard to Kallen.

"You've landed in the shit. Still lookin' okay though."

Jeremiah Gottwald stood in the parlor with Suzaku in his uniform. Jeremiah looked at Suzaku. Disarmed and concussed, Suzaku had given a detailed description of his assailant. And the description matched the raven-haired knight who descended to meet them.

"Sir Lamperouge, how pleasurable to meet you again," Jeremiah said, offering pleasantries. "Impressive security you run."

"Enough," Lamperouge said, clearly irritated. "I only allowed you to the steps of the entrance. I'm now within my rights as the head of security and a Knight of Honor to bar you from these premises and mark your record."

"And how would harboring a fugitive of the realm mark _your_ record?" Kururugi asked angrily. Lelouch turned his dark purple eyes to the officer. Suzaku almost retreated, but resisted the impulse. Lelouch came closer, within smell distance, and his face twisted in disgust.

"An _eleven._ How quaint, Lord Gottwald. Not house-trained yet though, I suppose." Jeremiah almost chuckled.

"How fast your tongue is, Sir," Gottwald said. "But he did explicitly describe your face, along with your mistress and the fugitive in question." Lelouch looked from one to the other.

"Would you like to search our _bedrooms,_ Lord Gottwald?" came Milly's voice, dressed in a riding suit, a crop in her hands from the top of the stairs. "We do indeed have a guest, but I'd prefer you not have to bear any witness to this embarrassment."

"We will swear to silence if it is not what we hunt, My Lady," Gottwald promised. Lelouch frowned, glanced at disgust at Suzaku and led Gottwald and Kururugi up to the second level, Milly turning to lead Lelouch. As they entered the hall Kallen was staying Gottwald began to hear a rustling and...moaning from the hallway at the end of the hall. Milly stopped by Kallen's bedroom doorway.

"This is where _she_ is staying." Gottwald entered and saw the red sheets. He pulled open a drawer and saw the various clothing, including several shades of red.

"May I ask, Countess, who stays here?" Gottwald asked. Lelouch grunted in irritation.

"Lelouch-" Milly started to say.

"It is an insult to the Asheford family and to you!" Lelouch shouted, angrily. Gottwald looked from one to the other.

"Who is it?"

"The Count's Harlot!" Milly yelled, her eye tearing up. "We've been trying to annul the union quietly since I've discovered them, but since I can't have my reputation destroyed by his affairs, I've _tolerated_ his visits here to prevent discovery. We were at the broadcast building, I took my Knight of Honor to prevent the whore from going to the talk show host over the affair." Milly began to cry and threw the riding crop away to cover her eyes.

Lelouch simmered quietly. "I must ask you to swear on a Knight's Honor to not disclose this to anyone. Please, for my Vassal's dignity and mine, Sir Gottwald." Gottwald turned, embarrassed and furious, to Kururugi.

"You're a fuckin' disgrace," to Lelouch and Milly, he swore, "on the life of the Emperor, my Honor, and my life, I swear to an oath of secrecy about what I've seen this day." Gottwald stormed out, Suzaku being dragged by his collar. When they were around the bend, Lelouch and Milly let out a breath of relief. Milly leaned on the wall. From the end of the hall, Ohgi and Sayoko stepped out, and Kallen came out of the opposite bedroom from hers. Lelouch pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It was easier to fight the Chinese army," Lelouch declared. "At least the Eunuchs were morons. Nobility, indeed. Inbred and lazy, just as I've always thought. Damn smart Knight. With any luck that's the end of it for a month or two." Lelouch began to stagger, exhausted down the hall. "Drink, anyone?"

"It's barely ten!" Milly shouted after him. Lelouch kept walking.

"That gives me seven hours to get drunk, get over it, and start again!" Lelouch shouted back, not turning.

Jeremiah threw Suzaku down. The young eleven rose, angrily, then remembered his duty. Gottwald looked him up and down.

"Suzaku, you cannot make these mistakes in the Knight Police." he reached up and ripped the badge from Suzaku's chest. Suzaku realized what had happened and looked down in shame. Gottwald shook his head.

"You would have done well in Area Eleven," Gottwald said from behind Suzaku. "But here, you're nothing more than what you make yourself." Suzaku pulled his pistol from his belt. He began to feel his options slipping away. As the vehicle drove away, Suzaku's heart welled up inside him. He had abandoned his sensei, his country, hoping to become a Knight of the Rounds, all to try and gain back his what he had to forsake to achieve it. Now it was lost. It was all lost. As a policeman, he'd seen what happened with those who took refrain. All too often, the drug-created memory world became reality to those who took it. He had been defeated. His sensei had told him what to do.

He began to raise the pistol when a black-gloved hand stopped him. He looked up into a mask...with a purple visor.

" _I, the masked knight, command you, Suzaku Kururugi...LIVE!"_ a red light was all he saw. When it had receded, he as in the middle of the lab, looking at a white Knightmare Frame unlike anything he'd ever seen.

"So...you want this _that_ badly, do you?" asked the silver-haired man from the questioning.

Kallen returned to the house a few hours later, covered in mud, laughing with Milly, exhausted, but never more alive. Lelouch was smiling and on the verge of laughter at them, his nose twitched at the smell of them.

"So...did you manage to avoid the dung?" Lelouch asked, teasingly. Kallen smirked at him.

"As a matter of fact," she shrugged sheepishly, "I did not." Milly laughed and Lelouch chuckled. Milly told them she'd be right back, and left the two alone, Kallen still laughing.

"I must say, I hope your brother wasn't this terrible in his first time in a Knightmare," Lelouch said, then his smile faded as Kallen stopped laughing. She swallowed.

"What?" Lelouch frowned. He glanced up the stairs, then back down to her.

"Ohgi didn't tell you, it seems. He fought with your brother, in a resistance cell. He was actually quite famous in the underground. I met him once. Blazing red Knightmare. I must say, you resemble him in more than blood." Lelouch radiated pride. Kallen backed away, hurt.

"He died because he couldn't accept how things were. He always wanted better. And look how it got him!" she shouted the last, angry at Lelouch suddenly. His purple eyes shone with sorrow, and anger. She ran upstairs, then stopped and turned. "We are not friends, Knight of Honor! If I'd been born like you, I would've loved what I had."

"There's why we'll be friends, Kallen," Lelouch said, somber, "I did love what I had. I wonder how you would react.." he left off. Kallen narrowed her eyes at him suddenly hating him even more.

"Don't compare us again," Kallen said. Milly was running back in and stopped at Lelouch's side. She looked at him, visibly annoyed.

As Kallen got to her room, she saw Ohgi outside of it. She walked up to him.

"You fought with Naoto? You watched him die?!" she asked, angrily. Ohgi looked back.

"Yeah, yeah I did Kallen. He saved my life, but he died. I'm...I'm sorry. We were saving...prisoners. When it happened, I mean," Ohgi said, sorrowfully. He looked away in shame.

"Were they worth it?!" she shouted. Then she went into her room and slammed the door shut.

"I know they deserved better than what we freed them from," Ohgi said to himself, quietly. He looked back down the hall from whence Kallen had come, and saw Lelouch standing there silently.

Rivalz looked up at the door of his office opening, and saw his next three guests. He stood up, smiling widely, and gestured them in.

"Wow, thanks guys for doing this. Are we here to discuss the interview on the show tonight?" Rivalz asked, sitting down opposite them.

"Yes, just wanted to talk about the suggested topics," said Schneizel, sitting between Odysseus and Clovis. "Notably, the censors aren't really willing to discuss the terrorist zero, so if you could perhaps just ask if we're worried, and of course we'll just say no."

"Ah," Rivalz said, "that's great. Really good. And uh, maybe talk about the upcoming show about inside the palace? Yeah, and the number of siblings and so on, how they're doing, the Royal Family life?"

"Okay Suzaku, just try moving the Knightmare's arm in a punch," said Lloyd over the radio. The silver-haired Earl had enlisted Suzaku as the primary pilot of the new Knightmare Frame. Suzaku, had told Lloyd what exactly Suzaku had left to lose.

 _Nothing,_ Suzaku thought as he punched the machine's arm forward, through a piece of titanium. _Nothing at all._

Inside the control room, Lloyd watched the test with glee. Finally a pilot! His experiment was very new, and state of the art. But finding the pilot had been too long a process. Suzaku had come to them in a trance. Lloyd considered it fate, if such a funny thing existed at all.

"Test results exceed expectations, Lloyd," his assistant said from the console. He turned, smiling wide. Cecile Croomy was almost as good a designer as he himself was, but she lacked a certain worldview that Lloyd had. It made her not great for designing weapons, but perfect to back up Lloyd's ideas.

"The test results are the expectations, silly! There's never been a seventh-gen Knightmare like this before! It's got me excited enough to give me chills!" Lloyd said, then he emitted a...unhinged laugh. Mustn't think oneself insane, Lloyd, he reminded himself. That's for future generations to decide!

Kallen had taken a shower and gone straight to bed, too angry to even dress herself in anything besides a t-shirt. She heard the door open quietly, and Lelouch's voice.

"Kallen...I'd like...may I speak to you?" She didn't answer besides shrugging and she heard him enter and close the door. "I wanted to ask you...what did you think, of that...maniac's speech? About freedom? Did you agree with him on any level?" She looked at him in the corner of her eye. He sat down on the edge of the bed, his eyes hooded.

She looked away, struggling for an answer. Then she thought of the men that _he_ had saved her from.

"He saved me from being...assaulted. I don't know what they would've done, if he hadn't shown up. But why...why were they like that? What drives ugly things like that?"Kallen asked, not looking at Lelouch.

"The answer may surprise you," Lelouch said. "The things we knights do...in war time, in peace time." Kallen looked over her shoulder at him, but he wasn't looking at her. "I thought it was hatred. But I've seen in their hearts, men like them. It's caused by something even I can't control. Life." Kallen's eyes widened. "They lust for it, and in that lust they desire new things, new experiences. The problem is, life when it is tempered by the mind, by the soul, is a glorious thing. But uncontrolled, uncontested, it becomes...dark. I loved life, and then when it was taken away, I didn't see the sun or the stars for five years. Since then, I still can't enjoy life, because deep down, behind my eyes, that darkness is still there." Kallen suddenly felt the heat coming from his body, and hers reacted. His eyes suddenly turned to her, and her heart began to thump. "I...you...I don't think I can leave at the moment," Lelouch said, his voice breaking roughly.

"I don't want you to," she said huskily, and she turned and reached for his face. He fell on her, his body twisting to meet hers. Their lips met. Their heat combined in visceral ways, centering in her stomach. She felt his life force, and wanted it inside her, through his mouth and nostrils, through his eyes. A phone beeped in the background.

"Oh shit," Lelouch grunted, "oh fuck, not right now, damn you," he said, between kisses. His tongue found hers and they entwined, her leg wrapping around his waist, his hand finding her hip, the strap on the side of her panties that...weren't there. His eye opened mischievously, and Kallen almost saw a red glow, she backed up for a second, and checked his eyes. Neither was any different, but still. She tentatively began to kiss him again. Heat colliding, becoming one, coming into-

"Wait," he grunted again, resisting.

"No!" she gasped, desperate.

"I can't...I just...I can't," he grunted. She began to let go, and he kissed her again, and dragged him right back. "oh...dammit," his tongue, his lips, on hers, "Kallen, I really," wet heat in their breath, "have to do," his hand feeling her body, "something...important." She wrapped her other leg around him, bringing his lower body down to press against her. He pushed his upper body up and began to whisper.

"lelouchvibritannia, lelouchvibritannia,"

"What?" Kallen asked, suddenly hearing him. He opened his eyes wide.

"Uh...nothing. It's just a mental exercise I developed and...you're..." he was pressed against her..."ready." Kallen looked up at him, breathing heavily. He inhaled, and she saw in his purple eyes his will dissolving. "I'm really...messed up...I don't want to hurt-"

"Shut up," she finally said, and pulled him to her. He aggressively ripped her t-shirt in half at the front. Pure heat flowed between them. She pulled on his shirt and fell small metal pieces, buttons, hit her chest and arms, and his arms disappeared and she heard a belt clinking and touching her belly. He fell on her, his chest burning on her chest burning. She closed her eyes as he touched her center, easing her heat with his touch.

She glanced at his face to see red once again and gave a startled cry releasing him and jumping back. "no!" he shouted, turning his head away before she could see more.

"What...are...you?" she asked, suddenly frightened.

"I am...nothing," Lelouch said, not turning.

"Nothing...like zero?" he turned towards her, purple eyes wide.

"Zero?" he asked, scared. As their eyes met she thought about the first time they met. She went over the conversation in her head. Realization passed through their eyes as they continued to hold their gaze.

"You...never heard my last name from Rivalz. Zero heard it...the night before..."

"I'm...not...I...I'm not zero," Lelouch said. He grunted. "uh...you kinda...woke me up...and uh...trying not to jump you," he continued. Kallen saw his excitement, and looked back. The moment was...she was imagining.

"I...liked the moment..."she finally said. He moved slowly towards her, their eyes locked, until their lips barely touched. The touch increased, infinitesimally slowly, and Kallen fell into infinity in his eyes. She felt his heat again, and they slowly conjoined.

Ow...the bed was crushing her chest... Wait...she jolted up, with Lelouch's head on her chest, and propped up on her elbows. He was...undressed. She was wearing nothing but a badly ripped t-shirt.

"Lelouch?" she heard Ohgi ask through the door. Kallen laid back down, unsure as exactly how to act. His face looked up at her, eyes closed in an exhausted slumber. She turned her head sideways, awestruck at the peacefulness of his face in sleep. She had to admit, physically Lelouch was beautiful. His eye opened, and then widened.

"Oh...fuck...me," he said. She looked at him, wondering what the hell he meant. "I...we did...didn't we? I'm not imagining?"

"Uh...no, we did," Kallen answered nervously. She was holding his shoulders, between his neck and actual shoulders. They were both covered in drying sweat, and it had made them sticky. She wasn't going to complain about it when it had happened, but it was an inconvenience now.

"Um...this seems a bit stupid, and very...dumb. But I am curious...how long did...did you...finish? It's been...a while for me," Lelouch asked, awkwardly. Kallen just blinked.

"I did," Kallen said tentatively, "finish...and you did...well. I thought." Lelouch pushed himself up, and their skin pulled apart excruciatingly slow.

"I need to go," Lelouch said, grunting as he moved his lithely muscled body over to the edge. He found his pants and quickly slipped them on. "Lots to do, and I have...less time to do it-" he grimaced as the verbiage, "in. But other than that bit when you called me a terrorist, this was...nice."

Kallen covered herself with a sheet. "Nice," she agreed, nervous. Lelouch bent over and picked up his shirt, now button less, and pulled it over himself, sticking his arms through the badly twisted sleeves. He was about to walk out when he stopped and turned around.

"I would like..." he gestured at the bed in general, trying to avoid saying the words. But Kallen knew what he was saying...so finally she said.

"I would also...like that." he nodded solemnly and slipped out the door.

Milly was in the dining room reading a magazine when she saw Lelouch walk to the other wing, barefoot, and visibly disheveled. Her jaw dropped. Sayoko began to follow and Milly chased after Lelouch.

"Hey! What did you...? Did you...?" Lelouch stopped and turned at Milly's questioning and took a few steps towards her, placing his hand over her pointing one.

"Happy..." Lelouch said as he backed to where he was going. "very...happy. Happier. Than I was. Good advice about...happiness. And being happy. I have to go now. Secure perimeter."

As Suzaku powered up the Knightmare again, Lloyd's voice came over the radio.

"Your enemy in this test is one of the best knights in Pendragon. He's piloting a Gloucester with some of the same equipment you've got, so no excuses there. Be warned though, you haven't got a ejection system, so do your best not to get hit."

"Simple," Suzaku said, confident, "either I win, or I die. So I won't lose."

"Heh, yes, that's the spirit, I suppose," the engineer replied. "Test commencing now, at Twenty Hours. Pilot Suzaku Kururugi. You may now launch."

"Suzaku Kururugi, Lancelot, launching!" the white machine's landspinners, massively powerful tires and drive systems spun into motion, sending the armored white humanoid machine from zero to seventy five in five seconds. The massive arena opened up before Suzaku. The flipped a selector on the control reins of the machine's cockpit and the machine responded by drawing the large gray rifle. Seeing his target in black, he fired a shot, the rifle emitting a large green burst of light that flew faster than a bullet at the target. But the target had already begun dodging. Suzaku fired another shot, and another dodge. Flipping the selector on the left control rein, the machine used its left hand to draw one of the swords from it's back. The blade hummed then glowed red, and Suzaku moved at the machine.

It had one sword in it's right hand, a Knightmare assault rifle in the other. Suzaku pulled back the left control rein then shoved it forward, and the sword was lunged in response. The other machine managed to parry it, then swung. Suzaku felt a bump in the Knightmare and was shocked. He was hit?

Lloyd looked at the test battle and cocked his head to the side. Raising an eyebrow, he looked at Cecile, then back to the Lancelot as it began to perform a circling dance with the enemy. The Gloucester didn't have the response time to do that. At least it shouldn't have.

Suzaku locked swords with the Gloucester, but as Suzaku tried to use the machine's higher strength, the enemy's sword gave way, falling underneath, before moving again. This time the machine was rocked and the sword hit the Lancelot's rifle. Suzaku quickly punched the main button on the right rein and pulled it, reversing the Lancelot. Suzaku was puzzled. Suddenly the enemy's slash harkens launched from it's chest and locked onto the Lancelot, then performed and spin, yanking the Lancelot from it's feet and landspinners. Suzaku felt weightless and began to roll the machine, managing to lang on his feet. He charged only to suddenly be fired at with grenades!

"What the hell?" Suzaku used the Lancelot's arm-mounted oscillation shields, deflecting the projectile and explosion with a high-frequency sound barrier.

"Contact the enemy pilot and tell him-" Lloyd said, angrily ordering around the test organizers.

" _Tell me what, I wonder?"_ the voice was so familiar. Was it...Zero? Lloyd was about to curse when the voice spoke again. _"An impressive machine. How impressive, I wonder. How would you use such a weapon, for good, or ill?"_

Kallen, Milly, and Lelouch were watching Rivalz show, enjoying the interview with the Britannian princes when a breaking news bulletin occurred. Two Knightmares, one purple, one white, were fighting viciously with swords.

'This is the scene of a test at a military research division where Zero has ruthlessly and mercilessly attacked the test pilot. Emergency forces have been notified, but it will take-'

" _Nine minutes and eighteen seconds, give or take 36.5 seconds,"_ Zero finished over the studio's public audio system. _"Can that pilot survive that long? I want the machine destroyed, but if I must, I will kill the pilot."_

'Zero,' came Schneizel's voice, and it switched back to Rivalz's talk show, where sitting between his two brothers the prince said, 'the pilot of that Knightmare Frame you want destroyed is in fact an Eleven. I was informed by the developer that he had found a willing pilot for that machine. He is in fact, Suzaku Kururugi.' Schneizel smiled even more as there was silence. The purple Knightmare slowed it'd attack, instead beginning to block the attacks.

" _How can you possibly prove that deception, royal prince Schneizel? You are by far one of the most intelligent of the nobles, and if you belong to the royal family you can obviously lie as well as the rest of them."_

'I'm sure Suzaku would be willing to blow the top hatch of the cockpit and show the world that an eleven can pilot a Knightmare as well as or better than any Britannian,' Schneizel said. As if on cure, the top hatch of the white cockpit blew, and the brown haired boy from earlier was revealed to be sitting in the cockpit.

"He called the bluff, except it wasn't a bluff," Lelouch said, commenting on the battle. "Without the top hatch, all of those ranged weapons the Gloucester is fielding can prove fatal for the pilot without damaging the Knightmare at all. When the only option is to kill a threat, what other option do you have?" Suddenly the top hatch of the purple Knightmare blew off, and Zero stood up. Kallen edged closer to the screen.

Suzaku stared at the visor of Zero. He knew what he had to do. But it would be dangerous without a top hatch.

" _I see you made good on my command of you to live, Suzaku Kururugi. I see that you took my command and found a new reason to live. Before we start anything the both of us may regret, answer me this question."_

Suzaku raised and eyebrow and stood, defiant.

"You gave me this command that I might better myself. To repay you, I'll answer your question, Zero!"

" _On one track, stands a Britannian. On the other, stands ten elevens!"_ Suzaku's eyes went wide. His own people...this would not be easy to answer. _"Now answer truly! What do you do? With that Knightmare Frame Lancelot, what would you do when the train comes?!"_

"Destroy the train!" With that, Suzaku lunged for the reins and launched all four of the Lancelot's slash harkens, impaling and disabling Zero's Knightmare.

" _A good answer. A Naive one, but a good one. Prince Schneizel, I will tell you, that your days are numbered. I don't know the number but it is not as high as you want it to be. Suzaku. I am coming. We will see if your answer is possible then. Use your new sword justly."_ With that, the Gloucester ejection feature activated, blowing apart the Knightmare as the back portion went into the sky. Zero jumped from it, the cape opening into a parachute. Suzaku began to move the reins to try to catch the terrorist. But the Lancelot wouldn't respond.

Kallen watched Schneizel merely smile sweetly as the camera image showed Zero disappearing into the industry of the test area. Kallen looked at Lelouch who stood up and began to clap.

"He not only tested the potency of the new model, but posed an impossible question," Lelouch said, chuckling.

"But the pilot answered the question," Kallen said. Lelouch put a hand on his hip and smiled.

"The question was, if Zero gave Suzaku an order to live, why did Suzaku live? And how much does the terrorist have a hold of the new young Knightmare pilot?" Lelouch put his hand in his chin. Kallen again wondered at Lelouch. How did a knight become so adept at politics?

"He escaped, disabling the Knightmare and all," Schneizel said as the three princes walked away from the sound stage. "Some kind of electronic device, disabling it. A powerful device. And was able to fight on par with the Lancelot in a Gloucester. Even if for not very long."

"It's embarrassing. We need to execute that pilot. Now that we know the Lancelot's power," Clovis was saying, enraged after he had been so clever and fun in the interview.

"No, no. Quite a man, that pilot. I'd even make him a Knight of the Rounds if I had the say," Schneizel said. "Break the train. The question was which life is more important. He didn't say the Emperor, and he didn't say the Elevens. In a way he's gained support from both quarters, all on his own principles. No politician would say neither. A pure heart. In an eleven. Oh my, how the commons will love him."

"Surely you don't mean to," Odysseus said, incredulous.

"Why not? He's by far the most interesting thing that happened tonight. Even Zero was astonished by him. Imagine if we molded that young man into the antithesis of Zero. With the right backing. Clovis, you talk about him in your address. I have a good feeling about this one."

"What will you call him? The eleven knight?" Clovis asked sarcastically. Schneizel smiled, amused at himself.

"Perhaps. But better may be...the Knight of Six."

Gottwald kept his seat as Villeta turned the television off. He folded his hands in front of him. His expression was unreadable. Villeta sat down next to him, crossing her long legs. Finally Gottwald sat back.

"Zero meant to destroy that Knightmare. Who would've thought Suzaku would be piloting it." Villeta looked at him. He turned to his computer and brought up a profile on the terrorist, and began to add some information.

"What do we do, Lord Jeremiah?" Villeta asked, sitting next to him.

"We find the terrorist," Gottwald said. Villeta scoffed sarcastically.

"How?" Gottwald leaned back and gazed at the picture of the terrorist's visored helmet.

"I don't know yet."

Kallen was sitting in the parlor, reading a book. Ohgi came down the stairs and saw her sitting. He walked over, smiling politely. She saw him and jumped slightly, then put down her book, breathing a little extra.

"Ms. Kallen. We need to secure the mansion. Perhaps you could take your book to your room?" Ohgi said, seeming very casual.

"Oh, sure Ohgi, if you need me to. I just wanted to ask if there was anything I could do to help you and Lelouch with the security, or maybe if I could help Sayoko?" Kallen asked, trying again to pay her way in the house. Ohgi smiled.

"Countess Asplund-Asheford has already said you'd try to do something like this, and to tell you, not a chance. Seems your a guest ma'am," Ohgi said, smirking at Kallen's attempt. "But if you wanna help, I can think of something..." Kallen leaned forward, ready to help.

"Leave the parlor, we need it for the nightly briefing," Ohgi said. Kallen smiled and shook her head in amusement and took her book. Maybe she'd head to the kitchen and see if Sayoko needed any help.

As she entered she saw a familiar looking cloak. Zero? She ran in to see Zero and Lelouch talking. Zero saw her and drew his pistol and aimed at her.

" _You weren't supposed to see this."_ Kallen raised her hands, in shock. Lelouch stalked towards her slowly, then passed her, not looking at her. Kallen looked over her shoulder at him as he walked away.

"Lelouch works for you?" Kallen asked, trying to make sense of it in her head. "Why would a Britannian work for you?"

" _Lelouch Lamperouge believes in Zero for his own reasons,"_ Zero said, holstering the pistol. _"So...you've been made quite the little fugitive since that night. Almost as wanted as me."_ He sauntered over to her, his body hidden underneath the massive cloak. Kallen lowered her arms, on guard. _"What would you think if I told you his real identity, I wonder..."_ Kallen's eyes widened, and she leaned forward, almost in his face.

"What about his identity?" Kallen asked, suddenly concerned. Was Lelouch some kind of criminal? He was working with Zero, after all.

" _Interesting. You care for Lelouch Lamperouge, enough to ask about his past. But...what about mine? Lelouch told me you thought I was him,"_ Zero said, beginning to circle around her. Kallen followed his gaze but didn't turn from behind her he said, _"you care for him more than you let on."_

"You have the same eyes as those children in the laboratory," Kallen replied. Zero paused then continued again. He stopped in front of her, facing her. A gloved hand reached up and almost touched her face, but stopped. Kallen looked into his visor, defiantly. He lowered his hand then.

" _How I wish I could trust you,"_ Zero said, sorrowfully. He began to turn and leave.

"Lelouch does," Kallen challenged, standing taller. Zero turned, oozing amusement.

" _Let's see."_ Kallen turned when he looked behind her and saw Lelouch standing there, waiting. Zero walked to Kallen's side, facing Lelouch, and offered Kallen his pistol. She backed away a step. _"Shoot him."_ Kallen was terrified, suddenly not as confident as she had appeared. But she had to prove herself. She took the pistol tentatively and began to point it at Lelouch. Lelouch looked at her with a perfectly straight face. Then the bedroom flashed in Kallen's mind. She lowered the pistol, shaken.

Zero took it and fired, once. Lelouch was fine. Realization struck Kallen like a weight, and she lowered her head, disappointed in herself.

" _Would you tell her what you can do, who you are? Right now?"_ Zero asked. Kallen looked up. Lelouch took a second, then shook his head. _"Not as easy to trust a stranger. Don't presume that you know my business again, Stradtfeld."_ Zero left, and Lelouch just watched her.

"He told you my name," Kallen guessed. Lelouch nodded and offered his hand. She took it and he guided her to her bedroom. "Does Milly know?" Lelouch nodded. She watched her feet as they climbed the stairs. When they were at her bedroom door, she looked up at him, hoping he would join her. But his expression was cold enough to freeze the world. Kallen entered the room and heard the door click closed behind her.

As she fell asleep later, she silently began to cry.


	3. Turn 03

**The Black Knight**

 **this is a fanfic. I mean sure, it's fun and she's a great piece of tail...but it's just ILLEGAL. Buying the show is legal. Wink.**

 **Thanks for the reviews that I got. Also, issuing a challenge, a fanfic crossover of Code Geass and the Dark Knight. No limitations, other than length. At least five chapters, more than five pages a chapter. if you accept, try to post before the tenth chapter of this is up (in seven weeks) with a link in a review. I'll judge a winner and let read the next three chapters before they are officially published. Don't need to**

 **Turn 03 vi Britannia**

Lloyd was gesturing wildly as he ran up to the damaged Lancelot, horror on his face. Suzaku climbed down from the cockpit pod sheepishly, his white pilot's suit creaking as he did so. Lloyd looked at Suzaku in absolute horror.

"Good lord, look what you've done to my poor Lancelot!" Lloyd shouted, frantic. Lloyd immediately turned controlled again and continued, "but at least you managed to return it in one piece. Still, micro-shrapnel in the armor, and it was a more successful test that I could've hoped for. I never thought anybody could operate four slash harkens at a time. This might require more work on the operating system, but we can almost consider them the whole affair, instead of one slash harken used at a time."

"And I didn't even use the harken boosters," Suzaku said. "But I think the controls were a bit sluggish after the grenades, maybe they knocked something loose?" Lloyd nodded.

"Yes, we'd better make sure you don't lose finer control if a grenade goes off. And we'll improve the shields before you go out again." Cecile finished typing into her tablet and looked up.

"And more good news, with the broadcast, we just received extra funding from Prince Schneizel. He's arranged to have Suzaku trained by a knight as well," she said, smiling cheerfully. "Great job, Suzaku." Suzaku smiled and gave a thumbs up. A knight? Could he actually be available for the position of knight of honor? He'd be the first Eleven to ever achieve the title.

"We'll keep working on it, in the mean time Suzaku," Lloyd said, waving a hand dismissively, "go get cleaned off." Suzaku left the stable and into the nearest shower. Stripping the leather uniform from his sweaty skin he breathed a victorious breath and smiled to himself.

0.0.0

Kallen was suddenly awoken by loud voices. She looked at the bedside clock and saw it was only three in the morning. She sat up, flicking on the lamp by her bedside, and got out, peeking into the hall to see the hall being illuminated by a bright blue light coming from downstairs. Kallen ducked back inside to grab her robe to cover her t-shirt and pajama bottoms and headed down the hall. She paused at the top of the stairs to see Lelouch watching something on the TV in the sitting room connected to the dining room. She stepped down the stairs. Lelouch suddenly looked up at her movement and began to turn down the TV.

"Sorry," he apologized, "I thought everyone was asleep." Kallen inhaled in frustration as she continued to descend.

"Everybody was, I think one or two might be awake now," she said, dropping her decorum on account of the informal situation. Lelouch shrugged, sheepish. She walked over to see what was on the television. It appeared to be two men fighting with old swords, like the kind in historical paintings.

"The Count of Monte Cristo. The new one," Lelouch explained, identifying the movie. "It's sort of guided my actions since...since I left Britannia."

"Where did you go?" Kallen asked, sitting down near to Lelouch. He looked down at her state of dress, and didn't look back to the movie.

"China, India, Japan. Meeting allies, learning how to fight," Lelouch said. Kallen absorbed this, still sleepy.

"Is that where you met Ohgi and Toto?" she asked. Lelouch chuckled.

"Toh-doh. Kyoshiro Tohdoh. And I met Ohgi here in Pendragon, he helped me get out. But yes, I met Kyoshiro in Japan. He's the best swordsman in asia right now," Lelouch said, looking to the movie, suddenly seeming uninterested in the picture. "Don't worry about Zero, Kallen. He simply can't trust you yet." She looked at him, leaning her head back on the couch.

"Can you?" she asked. When Lelouch didn't answer, grinding his teeth, she began to rise when his arm found hers, stopping her. She looked at his hand on her arm and sat back down. "Just tell me something about you I don't know."

"I was never beaten in chess except by one person," Lelouch said.

"Who was it?"

"You said one thing."

"I'll give you a kiss for another one." Lelouch looked into her eyes, amused.

"My middle name is Gawain," he said, smirking. When she didn't kiss him, merely giving him a coy look, he asked, "well?"

"Lelouch Gawain Lamperouge," Kallen said, trying out the name. Then she gave him a peck on the cheek. Lelouch mere frowned, disappointed at being cheated.

"That's not my last name." Kallen cocked her head to the side, smirking again.

"Three things? Well what is your last name?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." he said, turning his body on the couch so that his body was facing her, laying his head on the back of the couch. Kallen opened her mouth slightly, entranced by his beauty once again.

"My...mother's last name is Kozuki," she said. "Now we're even." her hand went up to the collar of his dark blue t-shirt, pulling her toward him. Their lips met, and Kallen exhaled as she began to pull him as she leaned back, laying down on the couch.

Kallen wrapped a leg around Lelouch as he pressed down on top of her, their lips merging. Kallen saw Lelouch's eyes in the blue light from the TV. She wrapped her arms around his neck, as they kissed with their eyes locked in each others. He stopped kissing her for a second.

"Kallen Kozuki," he said, trying out the name, then licked his lips, tasting it.

"Lelouch Gawain Lamperouge," Kallen said, breathing huskily. Then she smiled mischievously and wagged her hips against his suggestively. He gave a short exhale of amusement from his nostrils. Biting her lower lip in a smile, she bumped her nose on his. His hands grabbed her arms, pushing them above her head, which pushed her chest up and into his view. He looked at her chest, then back into his eyes.

"Did you want to watch the movie?" He asked. Kallen bit her lower lip in a smile again and shook her head slightly.

"How about some chess?" Lelouch asked, trying again. Kallen shook her head again, still biting her lip. Lelouch just smirked. "You really wouldn't shoot me, a person you've know for all of three days?" Kallen's smile faded.

"I wouldn't. I don't want to shoot anybody." she followed his eyes as he moved his head up and down, looking away from her. "Why, did you want me to?"

"No," Lelouch said, not looking at her. "I just wish I could tell you who I am. But I can't risk it. I'm so close..."

"So close to what, Lelouch? What's so important to you?" Kallen asked, concerned. Lelouch's expression changed to a mask of sternness. He looked back down at her, his eyes filled with regret.

"My mother was killed," Lelouch said, "and my sister was crippled. They never arrested whoever did it." Kallen's eyes widened as she absorbed this. Was Lelouch out for revenge?

"I'm...so sorry," Kallen offered with soft sympathy. "Who was she?" Lelouch avoided the question, meeting her eyes again.

"I think you need to get some sleep," he announced, "and I need to finish my movie." Kallen glanced at the movie, then back to him.

"Would you sleep with me?" she asked, innocently. Lelouch closed his eyes, then shook his head, frowning. Kallen just stared at him with open-mouthed shock as he climbed off of her, letting her sit up as he sat down on the opposite end of the couch, crossing his legs. She stood and looked around, then back to him, still open-mouthed. Finally she closed it and began to climb the stairs, disappointed. She looked over her shoulder to see his eyes following her.

"Good...night Lelouch," she said, somber. She walked slowly back to her room and closed the door behind her, eyes tearing up. She wiped them and shook her head, then sniffed and sat down on the bed. Kallen suddenly realized. She couldn't stay here anymore. She went over to the window and opened it. Looking down, she saw that she could make the jump if she had to. She flipped on a light by her dresser and loaded her purse with her phone. She changed into some rugged clothes and slipped on her tennis shoes. She slipped out the window and lowered herself, hanging, down the side of the mansion. Then she took a deep breath and let go of the ledge, passing through the bushes, she landed on one foot and fell, then rolled. She crawled up, quietly crying at the pain in her leg, and made her way to the fence when suddenly a black gloved hand grabbed her arm and slipped a black bag over her head.

The last thing she heard was her scream of shock.

0.0.0

" **Kallen Stradtfeld. You have been formally charged with conspiracy to commit treason, aiding a terrorist and resisting arrest, the punishment for which is death by firing squad. You have once chance,** " the black bag came off, and Kallen was blinded by several large spotlights pointing into her face, and the shadow of a large man who spoke again, "and only one chance to save your life. Give up any and all information you know about the terrorist known as Zero" Kallen stared at the shadow, scared out of her wits, her mind racing as it had with the officers when she had met Zero, but a million times worse.

Her clothes had been replaced by a simple orange gown with nothing else, her hands tied behind her with cable ties. She began to struggle as two more guards grabbed her by the arms and began to lift her, the ties cutting her wrists as she was lifted onto the table, and a towel was placed over her mouth and pulled tight. A hose was brought over and Kallen screamed through the towel as water was poured over her mouth and face, getting into her eyes. She began to gag as the volume of water began to fill in her throat and the hose and towel were removed.

"Who is Zero?!" came the man's shout, making Kallen jump as she choked to get the water out. Just as she was almost able to breathe, the towel and hose were replaced.

0.0.0

Kallen was shocked awake by cold water and ice being splashed over her. She screamed, the lights blinding her again.

"Are you willing to cooperate?" came the man's voice again. She paused, trying to think as she shook from the cold. Before she could speak a gag was inserted into her mouth, and she felt a sharp, unusual pain in her arm and her whole body froze and twitched everywhere. When it stopped, Kallen couldn't move for a second. Suddenly another chair was loudly dragged in front of her, and a young girl was brought screaming into the room and tied to the chair. Kallen could see she was Japanese, with a headband-like restraint around her head. A gun was pressed to the girl's head, and Kallen began to shout no.

"Tell us something you know about Zero before I am done counting to ten, or I will kill this eleven," the man said. Kallen looked at him, still shouting no, as he started to count.

"Purple eyes!" Kallen began to shout. The man paused at nine after she had shouted it at the top of her lungs.

"Very good," the man said. Then the gun went off, and misty cloud shot from the other side of the girl's head. Kallen screamed and sobbed, shouting no again and again. Another girl was brought in, this time Kallen knew her. It was Shirley from the mail room, Kallen's friend and coworker. Kallen began to scream no again, and Shirley did the same, begging.

"Please stop! He...he has...he uses a Britannian pistol!" Kallen shouted.

"Four, five, six," continued the interrogator.

"No please! I don't know! I don't know!"

"Ten!" Bang. Shirley fell out of the chair, on top the other girl. Kallen sobbed, staring, her eyes flowing. The man holstered the pistol in his jacket and wiped his hands.

"She's clearly useless," the agent said to the guards. A black bag went over Kallen's head. They carried her somewhere and she heard a door opening, and Kallen briefly felt weightless before landing on the ground the bag being ripped away as she fell. The door slammed shut and she looked in the darkness of the room. Sobbing, she passed out.

0.0.0

" _Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it?"_ Kallen looked up to see Zero standing in the corner. She quietly began to beg, sobbing, but he just ignored her, continuing to speak. _"They don't care about you. They don't care about anyone. They don't let them in their system, because you and I are playthings to them, and when we misbehave, we are tortured and killed."_ He walked up to where she was laying, too weak to move, and bent down, his visor looming in her field of view. _"That's the system you want to join, Kallen. Do you still want to be Britannian?"_

Kallen blinked and Zero was replaced by Shirley, her left shoulder and part of her chest covered in red.

0.0.0

Kallen awoke as the door was opened and another girl was thrown in. The door shut, and Kallen looked at her, wary. She moaned and grunted as she tried to sit up.

"Help...please...can't..." the girl said in a hoarse voice. Kallen tried to crawl over and managed to help her up. "thank you. I've been...here for years. They...killed my family...in the ghetto."

"The...terrorist? Rebels?" Kallen asked, weakly.

"No...the military. They said they were rebels, and shot them, and locked me up. They wanted me...to tell them...where the rest were. But I didn't know...so they just kept doing it. Please, I need water..." Kallen saw a small fountain in the corner. But she needed to stand up. Kallen looked at the girl, and began to see how foolish she was. Kallen cried. She didn't know for how long, but she stopped, steeling herself. She climbed to her feet and tried to pick up the girl. How long had Kallen been in here, her limbs were so weak. Suddenly the door opened and Kallen felt a fist hit her head. Dazed, she fell over and saw the guards pull the girl to the door. The agent, a shadow in the door, drew his pistol and shot. The guards threw the body down as the door closed again. Kallen shook her head and sat up, tears flooding.

"No," she said, sobbing. "Why? Why are they like this? GOD?" she looked at the ceiling. "How can you allow this?" Kallen felt rage fill her veins with fire. She thought of Lelouch and steeled herself. She wouldn't betray them. She would never betray anybody. Her body felt a hundred times stronger.

0.0.0

She stayed in the room for what felt like days. She lost track of time. She was fed a bad meal every so often, but it was so long, she thought it was only twice a day. Then the door opened fully.

"It's time," said a new agent. She had a black bag placed over her head, and then was carried somewhere. Kallen made her weak legs try to walk part of the way, but she did stumble and fall. Eventually they tied her wrists and sat her down. When the bag came off, a single man was sitting in front of her, back lit.

"Kallen Stradtfeld. You have been marked down for execution today. We can grant you a reprieve for some information about where you were staying, who helped you." Kallen looked up into the man's face. She remembered the girls. Shirley. She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"No thank you," she said, defiantly. "I'd rather die now."

"Leave us." the man said. The two guards to either side of her walked from the room. "We only need a little bit, and you'll be free to go. Did you see Zero's face? Do you know anyone who works for him?" Kallen thought of Lelouch. She gritted her teeth.

"Go to hell." The agent leaned back, then nodded.

"Well done." he walked over and cut the ties, then left the room, leaving the door open. Kallen looked around, puzzled and angry. The bright lamps went off, and a blue florescent kicked in overhead. Kallen stood, confused.

'Well? Look down the hall,' said a voice on the intercom. 'Move it.' Kallen went into the hall and saw a wooden door. She walked towards it and opened it. Outside, Zero sat on the couch of the sitting room, clapping.

" _I never should've doubted you, Kallen,"_ Zero said, then he ceased clapping. He stood and undid his cloak, offering it to her. She merely stepped sideways, circling around him, and away from the fake prison.

"It...it wasn't real?" Kallen asked. Zero nodded.

" _The only thing that was real was you. Actors and props,"_ Zero said, and he set the cloak down in front of her and turned away. _"I knew the only way I could trust you was the real thing. I was never in a prison like that, but I've known people who were. You were only in there for three days. Some of them were in for years. I was in a prison for years. Shirley thought it was a game. Squibs in the headband."_

"You tortured me?" Kallen asked softly. "You tortured me?!" now a shout.

" _I did. And I wanted to stop it. It's not easy to torture those you know."_

"You don't know me!" Kallen shrieked. "You tortured me!"

" _I know you better than you know. Your brother was the Fire of the resistance. That's a torch I picked up when he died. You were just 16 when he started taking Refrain. Ohgi told me. And you know me better than you've ever known about."_

"Shut up! I hate you!"

" _That's it! I thought it was hate too!"_ Zero said, throwing his arms wide, gesturing as he spoke. _"Of course I thought it was hate, who do you love, that would throw you into hell? When I was in China and Japan and India, hate burned me, made me work so hard, to become so strong! Then I remembered why I wanted to do the things I do. It happened to me, just as it happened to you. I remembered someone I lost. Then the fire went out, and I realized my purpose."_

"You did this to me!" she shouted, gesturing at herself.

" _And it made you stronger, it made you who you are right now. Aren't you wondering what made me this way?"_ his visor opened and his eye was glowing red, with a v in the center, hugging the pupil of his eye.

"I don't care! Where's Lelouch! I'll tell him what you did to me." she turned to walk away and was halfway up the stairs when Zero spoke again.

" _I already know, Kallen Kozuki."_ Kallen stopped, wide eyed. She turned around to see Zero watching her, his head cocked to one side. He reached a gloved hand to his helmet, and pulled it away. Lelouch's face emerged from behind the helmet, and Kallen took a sobbing inhale.

"Kallen, we-" Kallen turned at Milly's voice to see her standing at the top of the stairs, looking worriedly from Kallen to Zero. To Lelouch. "We wanted to know we could trust you with this, before we told you. Lelouch has always planned to do this if he was ever going to tell a stranger his secrets."

Kallen looked back at Lelouch.

"I'll start with my real name," Lelouch said, sitting down. "My full name, given to me by my parents, is Lelouch Gawain Ravensdown vi Britannia. My mother's name was Marianne vi Britannia. My father is the Ninety-Eight Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, Charles zi Britannia." Kallen's knees gave out in shock and she sat down on the stairs. Her world shattered around her as she absorbed this information. Lelouch continued. "The red eye is part of a special power they were experimenting with to dominate the world. This power allows me the power of the king to everything that lives on this planet. It's called a Geass power." With this, Lelouch's eyes turned from purple to red, with v's in the center.

"Kallen, do you need something to eat?" Milly asked. Kallen couldn't speak, so she just nodded, and Milly walked past her, giving her shoulder a squeeze as she headed for the kitchen.

"So...you are the Emperor's son?" Kallen asked, finally speaking. Lelouch nodded, his eyes going purple again. "And your power...how does it work?"

"It's similar to a high-powered form of hypnosis, but delivered instantly. With both my eyes showing the Geass symbol, nothing on the planet can refuse my spoken order, except those who are immune to Geass entirely. It works by visual contact. If they see my eye I can command them."

Kallen bit her lip and asked, "did you use it on me?" Lelouch frowned.

"I didn't," Lelouch said, somber, "and I still don't know why I didn't use it on you that first night we met." Kallen stood, weakly, and walked down to the sitting room floor. She picked up his cloak and wrapped it around herself, then sat down on the couch, not facing Lelouch.

"Why couldn't you just command the Emperor to change things? Why do you need to destroy Britannia? " Kallen asked.

"To fight a great evil, do you use good, or use evil?" Lelouch asked. She looked at his straight face and then back to her feet.

"I don't know...I would try to use good," Kallen said, sniffing, She wiped her mouth and nose, and accepted the sandwich Milly brought. Milly sat down between the two and rubbed Kallen's back through Lelouch's cloak.

"I would choose to fight evil with evil," Lelouch said, and Kallen looked at Lelouch in shock. Lelouch stood, picking up his helmet. "Go and get changed, I need that cloak back. Tonight I'm going to start fighting." Lelouch started to walk upstairs.

"What are you going to do?" Kallen asked, standing in worry. Lelouch stopped and looked over his shoulder.

"I'm going to kill Clovis zi Britannia."

0.0.0

Gottwald read another report on his computer. Grunting at the bad report, he grabbed the contents of his desk and threw them away, roaring in frustration. He went over to the window, looking out over the city of Pendragon. Three days and not even a speech. Then a thought occurred to him.

"The school," Jeremiah said, suddenly thinking aloud, "why did he blow up the school?" He turned to Villeta, working from the desk next to his.

"He said it was a lab," Villeta said, not seeing it. Gottwald shook his head.

"I don't think that's the only reason. Wasn't it attacked in some big raid by rebels, some of the students were killed, incinerated?" Gottwald began typing on the computer suddenly. "What if some of the dead students never really died? What if one of them came back to get revenge? Get me all the records you can, who was there."

Suzaku crossed blades with the knight of five, Gino Weinburg. Despite being Britannian Gino had volunteered to train Suzaku after they couldn't find a Knight willing to train an Eleven. But Gino had been curious about the man who had piloted the Lancelot, and that had led Gino to Suzaku.

"You're pretty good, Suzaku," Gino said as they crossed blades. Suzaku smiled and preformed a lunge, Gino countering with a spin of his blade.

"My teacher in Area Eleven was a big swordsman," Suzaku said, panting. They lowered their swords, and Suzaku looked to see the Lancelot standing next to Gino's personal Knightmare Frame, the Tristan.

"You'd make a pretty good Knight of the Rounds. Maybe I should make you my applicant," Gino said. Suzaku jumped in surprise and bowed.

"Please sir!" Suzaku shouted, head still bowed. Gino just laughed.

"Well, you are pretty strong."

"Don't you think it's a little early for that kind of talk?" Earl asked, sauntering into the sparring room. "He is just en eleven, remember. His majesty would never approve."

Gino just shrugged. "You never know until you try." Both were surprised when Suzaku spoke.

"I swear, on my honor, that I will be a Knight of the Rounds!"

0.0.0

Zero swiped an I.D. as he entered the residence. The pad showed Kallen's picture as he passed. As he walked, his eye burned red underneath the visor. Lelouch thought it was his anger flowing through that eye. When the guards began to try to stop him, pointing their guns at him, he popped open the slit in his visor.

" _Die,"_ Zero said, and the power of his Geass lit up his mind as it worked. The guards shot themselves in the head as he passed without losing a step. As he stepped into the elevator, he felt underneath his cloak to check that his pistol was still there. He pressed Clovis's picture on the elevator's screen, and the doors closed. They opened into the massive bathroom, a large bathing pool in the corner, Clovis sitting in it, his mouth all over the bodies of two young ladies.

" _Clovis zi Britannia,"_ Zero said, speaking loudly, smirking to himself as Clovis emitted a cry of shock as he realized he was there, _"I've come for you."_ Clovis began to scream, trying to jump out of the pool, water dripping from his naked form. Zero looked at the two women, still in the bath, and he used his Geass on them to make them forget he was ever there, then began to follow the running Clovis.

He found Clovis trying to get to an intercom system, and Lelouch quickly pulled his pistol and shot the intercom, destroying it. It emitted a shower of sparks and Clovis gave a cry, turning to see Zero just as the masked man throttled Clovis by the throat. Clovis gagged and began to try to kick and fight Lelouch's arm. Zero threw Clovis to the ground behind Lelouch and turned to follow the crawling prince.

" _Governor, how many times I wanted to do this,"_ Zero said, his pistol at his side.

"Governor, what are you talking about?" Clovis screamed. "I haven't been a governor in five years!"

" _Four years and 8 months. You were hilariously easy to humiliate,"_ Zero said. He continued to follow the crawling prince. The women moved out of the pool trance-like as Clovis fell back in, splashing soapy water across the floor.

Clovis shot up, standing in the pool. He looked back up to Zero, and his eyes widened.

"Area Eleven...the resistance...it was you!" Clovis screamed in rage, pointing a finger.

" _The ghost of Christmas past,"_ Zero said, bending over and cocking his head slightly. Clovis began to breathe heavily, suddenly terrified.

"Who are you?" Clovis said. Zero nodded his head and stood straight again, removing his helmet. Clovis looked in confusion at Lelouch's revealed face, before realization dawned on him.

"Lelouch," Clovis said, shocked. "But you...you were killed...in the attack on that asylum!"

"No, Clovis," Lelouch said, smiling at the pleasure of his domination over Clovis, "I died in the _prison_ that father sent me to."

"No Lelouch!" Clovis shouted, "Father loved you! He was going to leave his throne to you when he died! He wouldn't send you to a prison!"

"I will not haggle with you like a customer over what happened, Clovis," Lelouch said, pointing his pistol at Clovis's head. His eye lit up red with the power of his Geass. "Now tell me as Lelouch vi Britannia, what you know of my mother's murder!" Lelouch's vision flashed red with the outline of a bird in flight for a second, and Clovis's expression changed, his eyes going dead.

"Cornelia was in charge of security, but Schneizel was given the job of handling the lady's body after. I do not know other than that, but you could ask them, Lelouch," Clovis said dreamily. He blinked as he came out of the order Lelouch placed on him.

"Goodbye, Clovis," Lelouch said, aiming.

"No, brother please! I love-" Lelouch fired. He holstered his pistol as he headed to the elevator, his cloak billowing behind him. He set his mask back on as he got in the elevator, pressing the button for the ground floor. He pulled his gloves tight as the elevator dinged, revealing the private garage, with the valet waiting with the door open, his eyes tinged with red. Lelouch went around the car and sat down into the black sports car.

"Die," Lelouch said as he closed the gull-wing door. As he drove away, he saw in the corner of his eye the valet shoot himself in the temple.

0.0.0

Kallen was waiting for him as he pulled into the under-ground sanctum Lelouch had had built for his crusade. He got out of the car, pulling off his cloak. He ignored whatever Kallen was saying as he took off his helmet. Setting it on the table, the pulled off his cloak and threw it over the back of the chair, then finally turned to Kallen, feeling like Lelouch Lamperouge again.

"I'm sorry, Kallen," Lelouch apologized, giving her a polite smile, "you were saying?"

"You killed your own brother?" Kallen asked. Lelouch's smile dropped and his brow furrowed, turning away again as he pulled his gloves off. "Why would you do that?"

"To rebuild a world, the first one must first be turned over," Lelouch said. He turned on her before she could interrupt. "I've tried other ways, believe me. In Japan and China. The least destructive means are also the least effective. People are like buildings, Kallen. Renovation merely puts a different coat on it. To make a building truly better, destroy it and raise a new one. Death galvanizes people. It shocks them into realizing what is wrong with things. I will not engage in this discussion. I've already tortured myself into it."

"How did you get like this, Lelouch? Were you always like this?" Kallen asked, sorrowfully.

Lelouch ground his teeth inside his head. He had already told her his true name. What were a few dozen more secrets.

"Merlin: show us the Royal Family as of eleven years ago," Lelouch ordered, and twelve hologram emitters lit up, displaying almost fifty individuals. "Now narrow it to just the Emperor, wives, and children." the number was cut by half. Kallen looked among the faces, and saw the young, black-haired prince standing next to Schneizel. She walked over and began to touch his face. Lelouch followed her, standing by his younger self. "This was me, eleven years ago, just before my mother's death. The princess sitting in front of me is my little sister, Nunnally. She has not stood or seen ever since the murder," Lelouch explained. He grabbed her shoulder, turning her to look at the two sitting beside Nunnally. One of the princesses had deep violet hair, with the same eyes as Lelouch. The other was as pink as the other was purple, dressed in virgin white.

"That's Cornelia and Euphemia. Cornelia is my age, we were born within a few days of each other. We were both knighted at fourteen by the Knight of Six, my mother. Euphemia was born nearly a year after, then Nunnally was born, with Clovis being born between them. Euphemia was supposed to be my wife when I turned twenty. Nunnally was supposed to be married to Clovis, but her injuries canceled the wedding.

"I was considered a prodigy. I was the smartest, the fastest, the strongest, of all of the Imperial Children. Schneizel was the only one who beat me at chess," Lelouch said, then he suddenly laughed, backing away casually as Kallen looked around at the many children. "Unfortunately, to my mother's disappointment, I was a spoiled brat," he continued, smiling to himself. "Even in studies. Lazy. In some ways, what happened to me was the best thing that could've happened to me. It gave me a purpose. She was killed and I was sent by someone to the Geass Institute. The laboratory I told you about. There I gained this power in my eye. I tried a million different ways. When nothing worked, I almost gave up. Then something happened. I think if fate exists, it enjoys a wonderful sense of irony, because I found out later, the person who broke into that academy, blazing red, was your brother." Kallen turned from the hologram to see Lelouch staring at her. "After that, I left the capitol. I went to Japan, where I met my mother's old allies, the Asheford Family. They helped me, gave me care. I raged against what had happened to me. Then, one day, it burnt out. I was left with a black hole for a heart. The resistance in Japan gave me a way to fight against Britannia, in a small way. I made Clovis's life hell for a few months before he was recalled. But by the time Cornelia got there, we had left. We were never going to defeat Britannia like this, I told them. We went to China. I was known as the black dragon back then. We destroyed the fake rulers of that country, returned it to the Chinese Empress. Then with their help, I gained the help of India, and Rakshata Clandra. She built my weapons, my Knightmare Frame. After eight years I returned to Pendragon, and began to ready us for the final battle."

Kallen absorbed all of this. She suddenly realized a lot of Lelouch's earlier speech made sense. India, China, and Japan, all places Lelouch had visited. Places Lelouch had trained to destroy Britannia, and rebuild it. Lelouch suddenly laughed, and she looked back up at him, questioningly.

"Rakshata, I just remembered what she said about me," Lelouch said. "'The destroyer of worlds, and the creator of worlds.' That woman's religion is just ludicrously appropriate." He looked at her, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "It's late," he said, "maybe you should get some sleep." Kallen nodded in agreement and headed up the stairs back to the main house, glancing at Lelouch as she went. After she left, Lelouch threw his gloves on the table, irritated.

"Merlin: Euphemia," Lelouch commanded, and the family was replaced by just the pink princess as she was now. "Twenty eight, and you still don't look a day over twenty," Lelouch said. He moved his hand and stroked the hologram's cheek. But she wasn't here. And maybe she never would be.

0.0.0

Kallen stripped off the jeans she'd been wearing and threw them on the chair by her dresser, and clicked off the overhead light, then went around the room turning the lamps off until only the one by her bed was on, casting a soft orange glow over the room. As she was getting into bed, the door suddenly clicked open and Lelouch entered, then closed the door behind him. Kallen looked at him, about to ask why he was here, when he flicked the lock on the door, and began to take his suit off.

"O-oh," Kallen said, her mouth opening in surprise. She looked around the bed, then back to Lelouch, mouth popping open and closed like a fish.

"Are you just gonna sit there like a dead fish, or what?" Lelouch asked as he stripped off the frilled white shirt off, revealing his naked torso. Kallen immediately pulled the covers over herself and pulled her t-shirt off underneath the sheet. Then reached and began to work on her panties, her heart beating in her ears. He stripped off his shoes and socks, hopping on one leg as he did one, then the other leg. Kallen began to gesture for him to hurry up as her body began to heat up. Lelouch hopped over as he was pushing his pants off of his body, revealing his full body. Kallen was breathing heavily now, and she tried to grab him. Lelouch ripped the sheet from her and fell on top of her, rolling her on top of him as he landed on his back, their lips locked. She quickly crawled so one leg was to either side of Lelouch. She lowered herself to touch their bodies, and he felt like fire against her. His hands found her chest, kneading her flesh, sending waves of relief through Kallen, even as she wanted more. She felt his thickness growing against her belly.

"Lelouch," she gasped as she came away from his lips to get a breath between kisses. His lips found her neck, gently biting and placing kisses, and she leaned her head to the side for him. "Lelouch, I need...I need you!"

"Wait, make it last," Lelouch growled, his purple eyes turning dark with desire. His hands were over her back, holding her to him. Her hands felt his shoulders, feeling his strong muscles moving under his skin. She began to sweat from their heat. She rolled over, landing on her backs, her legs wrapping around him as she did. She felt herself rubbing against the bulge of him, and she rolled her hips, silently begging him to join her. He moaned in the negative as his lips were on her neck, her arms around him.

"Lelouch, please," Kallen begged, moaning in need, "make us whole!" Lelouch growled and slowly rolled his hips against her, and she felt him join her body, gasping. Lelouch grunted, his eyes closing, raising from her neck. They breathed together as they felt each other joining, then he slowly began to move, his back flexing underneath her gripping hands. His hands landed on her hips, squeezing. Kallen was breathing and moaning to the rhythm of their joining, their eyes locked. She felt the heat condensing in her gut, and she began to lose control.

"Lelouch, don't stop!" she begged, pulling him closer with her legs. This pulled Lelouch even deeper into her, and she gasped and, momentarily loosening her grip on his back. His arms grabbed hers and he held them to the headboard of the bed with one hand and began to pleasure her chest with the other, adding more fire to Kallen's inferno. Lelouch began to grunt deeply, his breath flowing over Kallen's neck as she began to turn her head one way and the other, her eyes closed in the struggle to finish. Her inner body tightened without her control and she screamed as her pleasure exploded, flooding her body with sensation, Lelouch gave a sharp exhale, and she felt his body tighten between her legs, before collapsing on top of her, his forehead landing on her cheek, his arms falling to his sides. She lowered her arms around is neck.

Kallen just sat there breathing, listening to his. Gradually their heartbeats slowed, and she sighed. She felt Lelouch's eye lashes move against the skin of her chin.

"Do you...did I just..." Lelouch said, half gasping.

"Uh...no I take control," Kallen said, gasping herself as she spoke. Lelouch sighed in exhaustion, then leaned into her, his hand moving to stroke her thigh. Kallen's leg recoiled on it's own. "That tickles." Lelouch stopped.

"You're joking," Lelouch said, mischievously. Kallen's eyes widened.

"Don't. Even. Think about it," she threatened. Lelouch pushed himself up slowling, his head turning to look down at her with a devil's grin on his face. Kallen's eyes widened further. "No. No. No no no no no no no," Lelouch's hand shot for her rips, his fingers dancing across her ribs, "NO!" Kallen shrieked, then began a giggling stream of screams and cries. Lelouch descended on her again, kissing her lips as he tickled, her hands trying to grab his.

0.0.0

Schneizel entered the bath chamber of Clovis's house, his normal cordial smile replaced by a sorrowful frown. He was greeted by Jeremiah Gottwald, who seemed sympathetic. He gestured to the large bathing pool, and Schneizel saw Clovis floating in the water on his back, his arms spread wide, almost like a christian figure, with a single wound in his forehead.

"Clovis," Schneizel said, somber, then looked to Gottwald, "do you have any evidence?"

"We have some security footage of Zero entering the grounds, but from fairly distant vantage points. The cameras in the house that could've seen him were somehow disabled. Clovis's companions seem to have amnesia, but we'll continue to try, my lord," Gottwald said, frowning. "Despite my dislike for you personally, Prince Schneizel, I am sorry for your loss," Gottwald said, looking earnestly into Schneizel's eyes. Schneizel closed his eyes and gave a short nod in thanks.

"Please, do not let his mother seem him like this, Commander Gottwald," Schneizel said, looking at Clovis. Villeta approached and waited at Jeremiah's elbow.

"Sir, we got an identification used to enter the house. It's the eleven fugitive," Villeta reported quietly. Gottwald absorbed this. He excused himself and pulled Villeta at Schneizel's nod.

"So either he's killed her, is holding her, or she's helping him," Gottwald said. "It doesn't change anything, Villeta. We are still hunting him and the Eleven. Anything on the school?"

"Nothing on...official channels. I can try some less official ones, if you need," Villeta said, nervous. Gottwald nodded, and Villeta returned the nod with a frown. Gottwald returned to the pool as Schneizel began to circle it.

"Why didn't he go for the intercom to signal his guards?" Schneizel asked, puzzled.

"We found many of his guards dead, including the valet for the main entrance, my prince," Gottwald said in explanation. "and the intercom was shot and disabled."

"But...what reason would the terrorist have for killing Clovis? Clovis wasn't involved in anything Zero's taken any interest in. What kind of motive was there?"

"By your leave, sir, perhaps there was no motive, other than Clovis was a Britannian prince," Gottwald asked, taking a cigarette out of his pocket. Schneizel frowned at the disgusting habit, and Gottwald put the smoke back, frowning.

"Gottwald, I'll have a list of Clovis's activities in the last ten years sent to your detectives, and have my analysts be in contact. I'll give them instructions to research anything you wish, as long as it leads to Zero."

Gottwald's eyes widened in surprise, following Schneizel as the second prince left. With those resources, Gottwald could find out about the school Zero had destroyed. Which might lead to Zero himself.

"Yes, sire," Gottwald said softly to himself.


	4. Turn 04

**The Black Knight**

a/n yeah, last chapter was crap. to be fair, I wasn't going to waste more than a chapter on the torture, so it was kinda rushed. I'll be making up for it in the next few chapters. BUT HOW?!

Disclaimer: oh, i'm too lazy for this crap...stop paying me! Wait, you never were paying me, pay me so I can return the money!

 **Turn 4 King and Queen**

Kallen was relaxing on top of Lelouch's chest, his face framed by the golden light from her bedside lamp. She found herself beginning to examine the subtleties of his face. He had small scars on his temples. His chin had a single diagonal scar across it. As her examination moved to his arms and chess, feeling up and down with her hands, she noticed a dozen more across his arms.

"How did you get all these?" Kallen asked, concerned. Lelouch smiled with his head against the board at the top of her bed.

"A lot of swords," Lelouch said. "A lot of training. My instructors were less than completely subtle." Kallen looked back up into his face, meeting his eyes, rubbing his arms and chest. "Did the trick though."

"How old are you?" Kallen asked, interrogating her captive.

"Twenty eight. I was eighteen when my mother died. After that I was held for five years. After I escaped I spent the next five years fighting and planning." Lelouch moved his hands to her crimson hair, playing with the ends.

"You have two middle names, by the way," Kallen said, remarking on his earlier comments about his middle name.

"One real middle name, one middle name is descriptive, then the royal family name with the prename to denote which consort is my mother. Odysseus, Schneizel, and Clovis were from my father's first consort, so they inherited Charles zi Britannia's prename. Then Guinevere and Carnine's mothers, then Cornelia and Euphemia's mother, then mine. It's a fashion after the roman numerals. Though you wouldn't think it." Lelouch began to twist her hair around his fingers, and Kallen reached up and swatted his hand away before he pulled out all her hair. Lelouch gave a breathy snort and moved his hand to her shoulder instead, massaging gently. "How old are you?"

"Twenty three," Kallen replied. "And I'm asking the questions, Mr. Black Prince."

"That is technically my title. I took after my mother much more than Nunnally," Lelouch replied, chuckling.

"What's Schneizel's technical title?" Kallen asked without missing a beat, mischievous.

"The Silver Prince. Odysseus, Schneizel, and Clovis are gold, silver, and bronze. But if you ever want to insult Odysseus call him the fool's gold prince, because that's what he is. Outwardly no different, but he's woefully incompetent, and a fool. He even laughed along with the person who first made the joke. Schneizel had to have him whipped. I should know, you haven't seen my back yet." Kallen's face showed her shock, and she pulled on his shoulder trying to get a view.

"Are you kidding? Your own brother?" She said in a quiet shriek. Lelouch raised his eyebrows and nodded. "How old were you?"

"I was fifteen. The fool tried to cheat and when I caught him, he tried to laugh it off as me trying to usurp him. A handsome prince, but useless like his mother." Lelouch slapped her elbow. She crawled off long enough for him to roll and show her his back. Thirty long scars decorated his back. When he rolled back over, she pulled him atop him again. "You better believe the executor had each lash meted back on him when my mother found out. Schneizel and Odysseus were officially reprimanded. And I nearly cut Odysseus's manhood off. I missed and caught him in the hip. He never played me again."

"My god, was the palace always like that?" Kallen asked, mortified.

"Not always. After I was knighted, Nunnally and I were left very much alone by the other wives, especially after I attacked Odysseus. Partly out of new-found respect, partly out of fear of my mother, Cornelia and I. Remember that Cornelia was knighted at the same time as I? We protected Euphemia and Nunnally viciously. Cornelia and I are the hell-raisers of the family. Before then, my mother was just as vengeful on any of the mothers, even if it was merely their children who injured us. Still, it was sort of like a party with ten people you hate to the one that you love. My back isn't the only thing scarred by my childhood. Father encourages social rivalries, or at least believes they make us stronger."

"Your father encouraged all that?" Kallen's eyes remained angry.

"He was quite verbal with any disappointment he felt. Encouragement was for the mothers. Because I was the prodigy, not even Odysseus was put under more scrutiny," Lelouch said, his face twisting in an angry frown. "Even lashing out in anger was met with a private speech by my father. 'Be better than this, Lelouch. You are a prince, no petty lord.' Euphemia was the only one who kept me sane. We'd sneak out and find a private place."

"I don't really need to hear about the incest, if we can avoid it," Kallen said, suddenly disgusted. Lelouch gave her a coy smile.

"We're only related on my father's side, Kallen, and it's perfectly natural for siblings to experiment-"

"La la la la la!" Kallen interrupted. "No, no incest, thank you, I'd rather be able to keep my lunch whenever I think about your childhood."

"You found a problem with the idea of sleeping with my betrothed sister, but not the lashing and cutting off my brother's testicles?" Lelouch asked, incredulous. Kallen shrugged apologetically. Lelouch shook his head, rolling his eyes and continued.

"Anyway, Euphemia kept me together, and Nunnally and Cornelia helped. My mother also sent me to a private school, away from the palace. It was her own school the Asheford Academy in the Tokyo Settlement. That's where I met Milly. I'm hungry," Lelouch announced, interrupting his own story. "Put something on, I'm cooking something." Lelouch tossed her off of him and he went to his clothes, pulling on his pants and white shirt. Kallen quickly pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms and a sleeveless shirt.

"You cook?" Kallen asked, incredulous.

"I had to learn after I left Pendragon. When you have a price on your head, one begins to realize the danger of Applied Toxicology." Lelouch unlocked the door and opened it. Lights in the hallway came on, and a guard nodded to Lelouch from his post by the door. Lelouch took Kallens hand and led her downstairs, into the dining room, then on into the kitchen. The room was covered in stainless steel, and Lelouch sat Kallen down by the small table by the door. He began to look in the fridges, withdrawing ingredients one at a time. "Requests?"

"Eggs are fine," Kallen said, shaking her head slightly. Lelouch's face twisted in disgust.

"Ugh. My god, I've slept with a heathen," Lelouch said. "One does not eat simply eggs at three in the morning. I repeat, requests?" Kallen narrowed her eyes.

"How about an oden?" Kallen said, asking for a traditional Japanese soup. Lelouch looked thoughtfully at the ingredients as he began to browse carefully.

"What variety?" he asked, beginning to pull fresh vegetables.

"Spicy, with miso," she replied. Lelouch began to toss and catch a roll of seaweed in his hand, nodding to himself.

"Sounds good with a thirty-eight Bollinger," replied Lelouch, and he walked to the wine rack. Withdrawing a bottle and glass, he poured a small amount and tasted it. He shook his head and put the bottle back, corked. He withdrew three more bottles before deciding, carrying the bottle over to the table in a bucket with ice, and set the glass in front of her, pouring a medium amount. Lelouch set a steel bowl on a burner and lit it with a match.

"You seem to have run out of questions," Lelouch noted as he began to fill the bowl with broth.

"How was work, honey?" Kallen asked jokingly.

"All things considered, it was murder," Lelouch replied. Kallen realized it was literally murder and lowered her head, suddenly feeling foolish for asking.

"Clovis tried to sell me a lie that I was to inherit the throne," Lelouch said as he cooked. "You have to understand, my mother was just barely a noble. Only a Knight of Honor, a non-generational title. But the Asheford Family are nobility, and they vouched for her application to the Rounds. But still a commoner. That Charles would even think to put me on the throne after his death is ridiculous."

"You were a prodigy," Kallen offered after a sip of wine. "Maybe because of that?"

"Schneizel was just as smart, and was already a commander in the military. The only reason I'm considered smarter is my temperament. I can think like my enemy. Schneizel's chess moves are superior, but I don't play the board. I play the board ten moves from now. But that's nothing compared to bloodlines. Charles places high pride on his pure blood. The Royal Family has interbred since they escaped to America. Outsiders are only used to strengthen the overall bloodline and never sit the throne. Maybe Clovis's and Nunnaly's child would've sat the throne after Schneizel, or mine and Euphemia's, but only if Schneizel died without issue. So they probably would've. But not me, personally, except maybe as a regent for my children."

"This is exciting," Kallen interrupted, sarcastically, "next can we cover physics?"

"Okay. Where do you stand on the debate, string theory or loop quantum gravity? Personally I edge for string, but then again, loop quantum can account for the decay of black holes." Lelouch grabbed a pair of pot holders and moved the steaming bowl over to the table. Lelouch handed her a spoon and began to pour himself a glass of wine.

"Why would Clovis lie to you?" Kallen asked.

"Same reason anyone would. Save his own skin. Mostly worked, I only shot him in the head." Kallen set down her spoon. Lelouch sat and took a sip of the oden. He nodded to himself, humming. "Though he would definitely have pruned up by now."

"Why did you hate him so?" Kallen asked. Lelouch set his spoon down, somber.

"He personally led the last three raids into the ghettos around the city. The girl in the prison act? She was an actor, but that has happened. Usually it's worse, Clovis enjoys the pretty ones. He believed in adding some better genes to the pool, almost always his own." Kallen suddenly remembered her own origins and looked worried. "He was too young to father you, Kallen. And Naoto told Ohgi that he was half Britannian when they discovered it, and Naoto knew your father, even briefly. It was not Clovis." Kallen sighed in relief. "And I tested you the first night you slept here." Kallen looked up at Lelouch in horror, suddenly worried about when he'd been in her room. Lelouch began to smile to himself, trying not to laugh.

"You jerk," Kallen said. She sat back and yawned. "Good night, Black Prince." She got up and left, leaving Lelouch alone with his thoughts. Clovis had to have been lying. Lelouch thought about his upbringing, his father's disappointment in him. As he began to fill up on the soup Lelouch had dismissed the entire notion.

Ohgi entered the room, an accusatory glare in his eyes. Lelouch gave him an angry look in response. Ohgi sat down, setting his elbows on the table, his dark eyes trying to bore into Lelouch's head.

"You might try that on a person who doesn't stare down with gods and kings," Lelouch advised, annoyed. "In comparison you're rather light fare." Ohgi just growled in irritation.

"You shouldn't be with her, you know," Ohgi finally said.

"Freed by her brother, and my first night as Zero I run into her. Almost like fate, isn't it?" Lelouch asked, taking a sip of wine.

"Lelouch!" Ohgi said loudly. When Lelouch ignored him, he continued. "Why would you bring her into this? She's no soldier!"

"I have more than enough pieces to win the game as it is," Lelouch replied calmly. "This is for me."

"You can't have her. Naoto told me to take responsibility for the resistance after he died, saving you," Ohgi said, standing abruptly. Lelouch wiped his mouth and stood.

"And you've done marvelously without me," Lelouch replied. "But this was my fight when they put me in that hole. No one has suffered as I have. No one living. If you're going to walk away in frustration, turn the lights off as you go, please." Ohgi gritted his teeth and turned. He stopped at the door.

"You're right, but some have suffered worse," he said, not turning, then flipped the lights off. Lelouch gritted his teeth in the dark, then threw his glass across the room, shattering it.

Suzaku jogged down the stairs of his appartment complex, his headphones blasting music in his ear. As he began to run, he kept his breathing high, making his heart go faster. Suzaku ran for a few hours, his vision becoming blurred around the edges. By the time he was rounding the corner it was now light out, and he bumped into someone very light, knocking them over. As they fell Suzaku's hand shot out and grabbed their wrist, and he pulled his weight backwards, stopping her fall. Looking up at her face, Suzaku became dumbstruck. Her pink hair flowed in curls down her back, and her light-red eyes and pale skin complimented her white dress. He blinked, and yanked an earbud from his ears.

"Uh...I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention," Suzaku replied. The pink-haired young girl looked him up and down and then at his feet.

"Meow meow," she said to his feet, and Suzaku blinked again and looked down. A black cat had been following him. Suzaku let go of the girl's wrist, wondering when the cat had gotten there. Then he heard a cry and a light body hitting the ground. Suzaku turned and saw she'd fallen. He let out an embarrassed cry and helped her up.

"Hey, miss, is this eleven buggin' ya?" said a large man. Suzaku glanced at him, then back to the girl, and lowered his gaze, watching the cat walk and press itself against her legs.

"No, it's fine. I wasn't looking where I was going," she said. Suzaku looked up in surprise to see her smiling sweetly at him. "I'm really sorry." The man walked off having heard her comment, seemingly satisfied.

"No, it's alright. I think it was really my fault," Suzaku said.

"Nice cat you have there, what's his name?" the girl asked, kneeling to pet the cat.

"Aaaaaah..." Suzaku quickly thought of a name off the top of his head as he dragged the a sound. "Aaarthur."

"Hello Aaaaaaaaaaaarthur," the girl replied. Suzaku knelt down to the cat, which promptly bit his finger. Suzaku let out a mild 'ow.' The girl smiled sweetly as the cat went back to push against her hand as she petted it, purring. Suzaku smiled, internally wondering how long that cat had been following him. He would've seen it on the sidewalk.

"I am sorry, I've just returned from abroad and I don't remember the streets too well," the girl said, standing. Suzaku stood.

"Uh..." Suzaku said, still smiling, "you're pretty." Suzaku realized he'd said it aloud and smacked his forehead. The girl giggled and began to walk away. "Uh, hey wait a minute! Do you need help finding something?"

"Yes please!" she said not turning. Suzaku ran after her, the cat following at his heels.

Kallen opened her eyes at the light in her eyes coming in through the window. She squinted and tried to move, feeling the arm around her abdomen. She turned to look and saw Lelouch staring at her.

"Did you sleep okay?" she asked slowly, perturbed. Lelouch smiled and moved his arm off of her.

"I don't really sleep that often. I try to sleep as little as I can," Lelouch said. Kallen sat up and propped herself up, then leaned into his face.

"Well, luckily I do sleep that well," she teased and then threw her covers over his head as she scooted out of the bed. "What did you have planned for today? Installing a military junta? Assassinating the Emperor?"

"More dangerous. A trip...to the mall!" Lelouch said, mocking dread. Kallen rolled her eyes.

"So I can get arrested as soon as I go in public?" Kallen stripped off her shirt, feeling her sticky skin. "I need a shower first, too."

"Hmm, I was thinking a bath," Lelouch said. "And I hacked the government database while you were asleep. We have about forty eight hours. After that we'll have to change your appearance. Or render you innocent in some way. And Milly said we're leaving in an hour, so let's make it a quick bath, shall we?" Lelouch got up, stripping off his shirt.

"A quick shower," Kallen argued as she shut the bathroom door behind herself and locked it.

'Because a locked door will stop me dead in my tracks,' Lelouch said from just outside the door.

"I need a private shower!" she shouted at the door.

'I'll wash your privates, I promise,' Lelouch replied.

"Go away Lelouch!" The door clicked and swung open just as Kallen was stepping naked into the spray of the shower. Lelouch sighed and stripped his pants off, stepping into it with her. As he was about to touch her, she held up a finger. "Shower." Lelouch rolled his eyes. When she turned her back to him, rubbing her skin under the hot water, she smiled privately to herself for denying him. He began to rub her back. She heard him squirt something into his hand, and he began to rub it in her hair. She closed her eyes as it began to drip down her face. "I need to rinse my eyes, Lelouch," she said, and his hands came away as she leaned her head under the spray.

She stepped away for Lelouch to wash his hair, and he began to rub the white suds through his black locks. He leaned his head under the shower head and kept running his fingers through it, eyes closed. Kallen looked down below his waist and smiled to herself again. She reached down with one hand and began to feel when his hand shot down and stopped her.

"Shower, remember?" Lelouch said, looking at her eyes. She smiled and rolled her eyes. He turned off the water and grabbed a towel from the nearby bar, handed it to her, and grabbed his own. She began to towel herself dry as Lelouch did the same, their eyes locked. She gritted her teeth, but kept up the fake smile, Lelouch's face was completely passive.

"Turn around," Lelouch ordered, and she did so, taking a deep breath as he toweled off her back. She covered her front with her towel. She looked up at the mirror, watching Lelouch's eyes in the mirror, a smirk on her face. Lelouch's face remained straight. Finally he turned around, wrapping the towel around his waist. She turned around and began to towel his back off.

"So...the shower is over," Kallen said, toweling off the back of his head. Finally she dropped the towel on the counter and cocked an eyebrow as Lelouch turned around to face her.

"It is," Lelouch noted, walking out of the bathroom, matching her eyes as he left. When she followed him, he had already pulled on a pair of boxers and black jeans. Kallen went to the drawer where her underwear were and began to browse through. She noted glumly to herself that her options were somewhat limited to various shades of white. "Sayoko did not browse as much as you wished she had," Lelouch informed. "Hence the visit to the mall with Milly." While Lelouch had his back turned, Kallen lunged for her closet, quickly selected an appropriate dress and slipped it on over her head, omitting panties entirely. She reached behind and zipped it and found a pair of heeled sandals. It wasn't much, but it would do for what she wanted.

She grabbed her purse just as Lelouch pulled on his long black coat. Lelouch pulled a pistol from the inner pocket and rocked the slide back, then put it back.

"Nice dress. You found a pair of panties you liked?" Kallen nodded, smiling to herself. Lelouch nodded and opened the door for her. She quickly walked through and Lelouch closed the door behind him. As they headed down the stairs, a man in a simple green suit and tie was standing by the inside of the door, a katana in hand.

"Tohdoh," Lelouch said in greeting. "How was the flight?"

"Master Zero," Tohdoh said in acknowledgment. "Your message mentioned Suzaku."

"We'll discuss it in the car." Tohdoh nodded and opened the door for Kallen and followed Lelouch out the door, Ohgi closing it behind them. Kallen saw the limousine and gaped. Milly opened the door and gestured Kallen on. Kallen walked down in shock as Lelouch got into the driver's seat, pulling on a pair of black leather gloves, Tohdoh entering the front passenger seat. Kallen got in the back and Milly followed, sitting opposite from Kallen. Sayoko was already sitting in the car, her normal maid's outfit replaced by a simple sleeved black dress.

"Sayoko," Kallen started, "I forgot to ever thank you for shopping for me. As much as I like that I had some clothes of my own, I really am glad Lelouch didn't wind up in my underwear drawer." Sayoko smiled and nodded.

"Your welcome," the Japanese maid replied.

"And don't worry about buying your own things, it's all on me," Milly added. Before Kallen could raise a complaint she added, "No, don't even try it. If you want to repay me, just keep doing what you're doing for Lelouch."

"What? What do you mean?" Had Lelouch told Milly what they'd done?

"He's happy right now. You don't know it, but this is actually the happiest I've ever seen him," Milly explained. The privacy screen behind Kallen opened with the whir of motors.

"Countess, which store would you like to park closest to?" Lelouch asked. The limo began to move, and Kallen barely heard the crunch of gravel.

When they got to the mall, the limo pulled up to the entrance, and Kallen, Sayoko, Milly, and Tohdoh left the vehicle. The limo pulled away, and Kallen began to enter the store.

"Kallen, wait," Tohdoh said, laying a hand on her shoulder. Kallen turned and stepped back to the group to stand beside the samurai. Kallen looked behind her to see the limo park, and Lelouch got out, locked the vehicle with a remote, and pocketed it, taking off his driver's gloves.

"Lelouch, hurry up!" Milly shouted, laughing, and Sayoko joined in. Kallen joined in and they jaunted him as he walked to the entrance where they waited. He gave them a glare as he joined them, and they stepped into the store.

"Sayoko, stay with Kallen, Kyoshiro and I will guard the countess," Lelouch explained. Sayoko walked over to Kallen and stood beside her. Lelouch quickly handed a radio to Tohdoh and Sayoko each, and they put a special earpiece on. "Testing." when the two nodded, Lelouch nodded and put his earpiece in. Sayoko said a test, and when Lelouch nodded, Sayoko gestured for Kallen to lead. She headed for the underwear section, grabbing a basket. As she began to browse through the panties and bras on sale, Kallen's mind wound up thinking which one Lelouch would like the most. She reached for the black.

Cornelia and Schneizel entered the morgue, both wearing somber expressions. The royal coroner greeted them at the door, and gestured them to the single body in the room, upon a gilded table. Cornelia scowled. It was a slab by any other name.

"Though the cause of death was obvious," the coroner started, "there were some unusual responses in the brain. So I did some scans and x-rays. The results were interesting, to say the least. It seems that just before he was killed, something was done to Clovis almost like hypnosis."

"Almost?" growled Cornelia.

"I say almost, because the results are almost hundreds of times the normal speed of a hypnotic reaction, and with only a tenth the usual aftereffects. Any other coroner would've thought Clovis had been sleeping, but the Royal Family merits better doctors in this case."

Schneizel thanked the doctor, and Cornelia passed a hand over Clovis's face, then the two turned and left.

"Are we to believe the terrorist gave Clovis a hypnotic session before he killed him?" Cornelia said, angry. "Clearly our doctor is not as bright as he claims."

"It is not as unusual as we would believe. He made six guards commit suicide, and Clovis's companions forget that we was ever there," Schneizel argued as they walked down the hall.

"No chance they could be working with the terrorist?" Cornelia asked.

"We questioned the escort service management. I don't believe they were involved as you want them to be. I think we must consider that Zero has some kind of mental weapon." Cornelia gritted her teeth.

"How do we defend against that, when he could possibly turn our entire army on us?" Cornelia asked loudly.

"How do we screen the affected? We can't just go killing all of our guards. The terrorist could walk right up and shoot all of us." Cornelia cursed and stopped, facing Schneizel.

"What about this Institute that Zero destroyed? Any chance of some of those people escaped that we could question?" Schneizel shook his head. The two remained silent for a moment.

"I think it best we keep this under wraps for now. At least until after the funeral. It would terrify the nobles. We'd have a riot on our hands."

"Of course we'd have a riot. Tell our supporters that they may be targeted by an enemy who can enter their minds a hundred times faster than a mind doctor with no way of knowing they'd been affected? This is the most dangerous enemy we've ever seen."

"Your recommendation, commander of the military?" Schneizel asked, looking down at her. Cornelia paused, thinking, then turned to her older half-brother.

"Give me some information to use. I will use my own squad to hunt him, if necessary. We must take all precautions as though we are completely infiltrated. As few people as possible."

"That will grind our operations to a halt," Schneizel chided.

"And all of our people being commanded by a terrorist will make them move even faster in the opposite direction than ours," Cornelia replied angrily. "What about uncle? Could he be used to help us?"

"No. And what's more, he won't help us. We must think this out on our own." Cornelia and Schneizel looked around, then back to each other. Cornelia looked back to her brother.

"Double the guards at the funeral. Triple the Knightmare Frame population. If Zero comes to gloat, we must turn it into Zero's funeral as well."

Kallen was following as Milly led the store worker as he drove a large cart laden with their bags. Kallen had bought two dozen pairs of panties and bras, half a dozen pairs of jeans, six dresses, and a dozen shirts, and three pairs of shoes, including a pair of black, strapping heels that Milly had insisted were Kallen's style. As they approached, Lelouch walked quickly past them, but not towards the car. Kallen walked up beside him, looking at his face. He was squinting at something. Kallen looked to try and see what he was looking at.

"Sayoko, Tohdoh," Lelouch said, "keep Milly and Kallen by the car." With that, Lelouch continued to move towards the far side of the parking lot, where people were walking, then started to jog. Kallen ran after him, over the protests of Milly and Tohdoh. As Lelouch slowed, Kallen came up behind him, panting slightly.

"What is it?" Kallen asked. Lelouch looked to see it was her, then sighed and looked after the people walking.

"Follow me, and don't say anything," Lelouch said, handing her a pair of sunglasses. Kallen put on the sunglasses and followed him. "the girl with the pink hair. I think it's my sister. With Suzaku."

"He knows who I am," Kallen realized aloud. "do you need me to go back to the car?"

"Suzaku Kururugi!" Lelouch called. He waved as the brown hair turned to reveal a face. Lelouch walked towards them, and Kallen saw the pink haired girl. "Suzaku, do you realize the treasure you escort this second?" Kallen noticed the girl look at Lelouch's face and look away, keeping a straight face. Suzaku looked from Lelouch to the girl, then back, confused. Lelouch began to perform a very formal bow.

"My lady, I greet you as a Knight, Fourth Princess Euphemia li Britannia." Suzaku's eyes widened in shock at Lelouch's mention of the name. "I'm but a humble Knight struck by your beauty." Kallen immediately felt threatened and looked Euphemia up and down. She had to admit that the princess was far prettier than Lelouch's hologram made her look. Kallen looked down at herself and began to feel inadequate.

"Princess?" Suzaku stammered. "I'm sorry, my lady, I had no idea!" He bowed as well.

"It's alright, I should've told you. I was trying to be discreet," Euphemia said with a sweet voice. Kallen thought she sounded like a man in comparison. "what's your name?" she said to Lelouch.

"I am Sir Lelouch Lamperouge, your grace," Lelouch said, "this is my wife, Camille Lamperouge." Kallen looked at Lelouch, then curtsied. Euphemia smiled and nodded.

"I am Suzaku Kururugi, your grace," Suzaku said, still bowing.

"The man who fought Zero," Euphemia said, smiling.

"I know Suzaku's teacher, my lady. He trained Suzaku well. As well as any squire could hope for. Well, it was my honor to meet you, princess. Thank you for the pleasure of your beauty." Euphemia merely nodded, and Lelouch took a few steps backwards and then spun, Kallen followed him.

"What the hell was that about?" Kallen asked, trying to replicate Euphemia's voice.

"Sorry, I tried to come up with a name for you on the fly. I wasn't very successful."

"'I should've known where I was going, I'm a princess,'" Kallen said, mockingly.

"Are you jealous?" Lelouch asked, smiling incredulously. Kallen looked away.

"No."

"I think you are. Is that why you aren't wearing any panties?" Kallen gasped at Lelouch's comment, then blushed deep red and hurried to get in the car. As she got in, Milly put her elbow on her knee and her chin in her hand, staring at Kallen thoughtfully.

"What?" Kallen asked, mortified. Milly knocked on the privacy screen behind her, and it cracked open with a whir.

"I think we should visit Venus," Milly said, still looking at Kallen. Lelouch entered the back as the screen slid back up, and Milly had a glass of orange juice ready as he closed the door and sat down, facing sideways, sitting between Kallen and Milly. He looked between them as the car pulled away.

Kallen's eyes widened as they approached a small shop in the business district. The tasteful sign read 'Venus's Tricks,' and Kallen was suddenly much more worried than she had been when Milly had told them to come here. Milly gestured Kallen out of the car, then followed her. Lelouch stepped out and began to look up and down the sidewalk as Milly pushed Kallen through the small glass door.

"Venus!" Milly called. "I've brought you a new customer! She's looking for something for a little romance!" A tiny woman with large glasses and a tape measure stepped out from behind a curtain and smiled.

"Welcome! Is this your first time being measured?" when Kallen nodded nervously, Venus smiled and gestured Kallen to follow as she led Kallen to a room with a mirror on the back wall and numerous pieces of fabric on a series of shelves. "Could you take your dress of please, my dear?" Kallen froze.

"I'm...uh...well...underneath I'm..." Kallen let the sentence fade out, unable to say more out of sheer embarrassment.

"Oh, please," Venus said, "I've seen it all. I won't tell anyone, I swear." Kallen nervously turned away and unzipped her dress, steeping out of her sandals. She slipped the dress off. At least it wasn't chilly as the woman began to measure around Kallen's waist, just below her hips. She then measured Kallen's arm and shoulder width. "If you can raise your arms dear, I'll measure your bust quickly and you can get dressed again." Kallen rose her arms. She was so embarrassed. She immediately thought of Euphemia, and wondered how many times she had done this sort of thing. Lelouch's voice rang in her head. 'Euphemia was my betrothed.' Kallen began to see the two with their arms in each others, Lelouch dressed in his finest black, Euphemia in pure virgin white and gold. "Okay, you can slip your dress back on."

As Kallen began to slip her dress on, Venus grabbed a few dozen of the small pieces of cloth, and began to hold them up to Kallen's skin on her arms, then to her eyes.

"Do you have any color preferences, sweetie?" the older woman asked, and Kallen thought again of Euphemia.

"White." Venus gave a thoughtful sound. Kallen slipped her sandals back on as Venus thought, comparing colors.

"I'd have to mix in some other colors into the trim to make your skin look good, but I think I can do it. Thank you my dear. You tell Milly I'll have it sent to the same address as always." Kallen went back to the front and told Milly she could leave. Milly smiled and guided Kallen out onto the sidewalk. Lelouch was smoking and pressed a button on his radio.

"You smoke?" Kallen asked as they waited for limo.

"Rarely. These things'll kill you," Lelouch said, exhaling smoke. As the limo pulled up, Kallen turned to Milly. "Can I talk to Lelouch alone for a minute?" Milly nodded and climbed into the car. Kallen gestured and Lelouch fell into step beside Kallen as she walked down the sidewalk.

"Earlier, you said I was jealous?" Kallen started.

"Literally a page ago," Lelouch said.

"What?" Kallen asked, glancing at him.

"Nothing."

"Well...what if...maybe you were right? What could that mean?" Kallen asked, her hands moving as she talked and walked.

"It could mean that you are feeling threatened sexually by a girl you perceive to be a threat to your future bloodline. Or that you are in love with me," Lelouch said straight-faced.

"But...no, I meant, what can I do? How can I compare to her? She was going to be your wife, and I'm not a full Britannian. Am I supposed to give up, or fight for you, or what?" She glanced at Lelouch again. Lelouch appeared thoughtful of Kallen's questioning.

"You could turn me in. She wouldn't have me then," Lelouch said, jokingly. When Kallen sighed in frustration, he continued, "Kallen, if you're worried about me with another woman, I'm a lot more damaged than I seem to be. I spent five years in the dark with a power that they used to make me do a lot of evil things. I'm glad that you feel for me enough to be jealous, but I can't care about love right now. I've kept everything in my heart very simple. Crusade first, love later. I'll have the freedom to figure out exactly what I want, and who I want it with. Maybe then, but Kallen, I'd still like to be with you until we are able to decide what happens. So for now, don't worry. What you bought in that store will probably have me thinking about you for the next six months."

Kallen's hand found Lelouch's and they turned and walked back to the car, hand in hand. Kallen smiled as they walked.

Odysseus walked into the game room of the Imperial Palace. Schneizel and Cornelia were playing chess, Cornelia was frowning at her black half of the bored.

"The day of the funeral has been decided. It will be the day after tomorrow," Odysseus announced. Cornelia and Schneizel looked up.

"So soon," Cornelia remarked. Suddenly Euphemia walked in, dragging Suzaku Kururugi behind her. Cornelia watched her march back towards the room Odysseus had come from, and began to try to stop her younger sister.

"Father!" Euphemia said, forcefully, throwing open the doors. Charles zi Britannia was feeling a painting. Euphemia noted it was one of Clovis's of Lelouch. She stopped eying the painting to look back at her white-haired father, his purple eyes examining the portrait under his gloved hands. "This is the man who fought zero in the prototype Knightmare Frame. I would like him as my personal knight." Suzaku's eyes widened.

"An eleven," Charles remarked, scornful. "Typical of your sweet disposition, Euphemia. You should well remember, that not all of us get what we want."

"He is my choice, father. Show me a hundred Knights and I would still pick this man," Euphemia declared. She could feel her three siblings behind her, and Suzaku.

"All spirit, so like Marianne," Charles said. "He will be made to swear oaths to you, Euphemia."

"Understood, father."

"And if Clovis's fate befalls you, he will not long survive you. Though, he may survive the execution for a time given his fit state."

"Father," Euphemia started, but was cut short by her father's voice again.

"I have agreed, you will bend me no more today. Begone please, and take your siblings with you. Your brother's arrangements are yours to consider. And visit your poor sister Nunnally. She has told me she yearns for your presence. All of you!"

"Yes, father," the four children chorused, solemnly.

0.0.0

Lelouch pulled a small piece of paper from his pocket. He wondered where and when he got it, until he saw the writing. The park. Sunset.

0.0.0

Euphemia spun as she heard the footsteps approaching.

"I knew it was you, Lelouch," she said. Lelouch raised a pistol.


	5. Turn 05

**The Black Knight**

Thanks for all the reviews, people, keep em coming. To answer some questions, Kallen will be becoming a soldier, but I'm not focusing on it terribly hard. as for the previous announcement, the bleach fic is not gonna happen, I can't figure out a story. BUT...the new project League of Legends skin may inspire a later LOL MGR crossover.

This is a non-profit fan-written fanfiction. Code geass is owned by sunrise and clamp. Ha, thought I was gonna make a joke. Din't cha? Support the official release.

 **Turn 05 hearts and throats**

 _Euphemia stood in the center of the park. The golden glow of sunset made her hair look almost white. As Lelouch approached, she turned around to face him. She gave a small smile to him that didn't reach her eyes._

" _I knew it was you," she said to the black prince, a teasing smile on her face. Lelouch aimed a pistol at Euphemia, his face a mask._

" _And what would you do with that information?" Lelouch asked._

0.0.0

Lelouch watched Clovis's funeral, a glass of wine in his hand. As Euphemia walked up to the podium, Lelouch saw his other siblings sitting in the front row. He was somewhat pleased that the youngest of them had been kept away. 'Our conflict shouldn't include them,' Lelouch thought. Lelouch was lost in thought for most of Euphemia's eulogy. He was stunned out of his inner monologue at the sound of his name.

"Wherever my dear brothers Lelouch and Clovis are, I hope they have found peace," Euphemia said, finishing her speech. Lelouch's eyes narrowed.

0.0.0

" _Would you shoot your own sister?" Euphemia asked, curious._

" _Do I need to?" Lelouch replied, not lowering his pistol. Euphemia merely met his gaze, waiting. Lelouch merely continued to aim his pistol at her._

" _Why should you need to kill me, Lelouch?" Euphemia finally asked, "we were all stricken with grief when we had thought you died."_

" _Does that include the one of you that sent me to that hell?" Lelouch asked. Euphemia's brow furrowed, disturbed at Lelouch's question._

" _What do you mean? You were sick, Lelouch. You thought your mother was-"_

" _Enough," Lelouch said, interrupting._

 _0.0.0_

Lelouch set his glass in the dish washer and headed back to the stairs. As he made his way up, Ohgi nodded to him. Lelouch returned the greeting and headed for Kallen's room. Opening the door, he observed Kallen sleeping, dressed in a t-shirt, and covered by her sheets. Lelouch found himself walking over. He watched her sleep. The girl was easily as beautiful as his one time betrothed. Of course, Kallen never realized it. He sat down gingerly on the edge of the bed and ran his hand down her arm. Kallen rolled over at the sensation, and Lelouch pulled his hand away, setting it down on his leg as he sat and observed her.

Lelouch stretched out on the bed, propping his head up. Kallen rolled into him, snuggling against his chest, still asleep.

0.0.0

" _If you wish me dead, then shoot me now," Euphemia challenged, her face defiant. Lelouch's eyes narrowed._

" _You still can stop me in my tracks," Lelouch said, lowering his pistol slightly. Euphemia smiled again, leaning her head to the side. "But I'm resolved not to stop."_

" _But can you shoot me in this crowd?" Euphemia said. The people surrounding the park all had eyes tinged with red._

" _You'd be surprised what I can do, betrothed of mine," Lelouch said, irritated. "Now I can't let you get away with my identity."_

" _I would've told someone already if I meant to, wouldn't I, my future husband?"_

" _That was a long time ago. Don't you think I've moved on beyond that puppy love we shared?"_

" _Do you think I have?" Lelouch gritted his teeth at Euphemia's question._

Lelouch heard his name behind called in the hallway. He extricated himself delicately from Kallen's sleeping form and stepped into the hall, clicking the door closed. Milly was walking down the hall. Lelouch put a finger to his lips, silencing Milly and pushed her gently with a hand back the way she'd come.

"There's a last-minute ball in honor of Clovis. I thought as you haven't made an appearance since the murder, you might want to be there," Milly explained. Kallen's door opened, making both Milly and Lelouch turn to see Kallen rubbing one of her eyes and trying to listen to them. Lelouch sighed and looked at Milly.

"Do we have anything she can wear?" Lelouch asked. Milly shrugged, shaking her head in an 'I don't know' expression. Lelouch looked back at Kallen. "Zero needs a date."

0.0.0

Jeremiah followed Villeta as they headed through the mental asylum. Jeremiah was wondering who they were here to see as he passed the cheaply decorated walls. A man in a doctor's jacket stood to greet them at a door.

"This woman claims to have come from the Institute," Villeta explained. "She was diagnosed with dissociative disorder and insanity. She believes she's immortal." Jeremiah huffed.

The doctor opened the door to reveal a green haired girl in a white outfit made from an old straight jacket. Jeremiah and Villeta stepped inside.

"What is your name?" Jeremiah asked.

"Snow is white because it's forgotten what color it is. My name is forgotten, so call me C," the girl replied, not looking up at Jeremiah.

"Are you Britannian?" Jeremiah asked the girl, curious about her hair and eyes.

"Britannian is young in comparison to where I'm from. The place I've come from has no name anymore. You wanted to know something." the girl offered her hand. Jeremiah looked at Villeta in irritation and took it. Jeremiah suddenly felt totally disconnected from his body, surrounded by people in odd restraints.

 _'Seek you the power of the king. The power of Geass. Let me show you.'_ Suddenly the eyes of everyone turned red with a symbol like a v in each, all turning to face him. Jeremiah saw a figure standing on a raised platform. Before Jeremiah could get a better look, he felt himself sinking and he looked down to see himself falling into an infinite pit of darkness. His senses began to disappear.

When they returned he was in a town that he couldn't recognize, small blackened people walking like zombies.

 _'I've seen it over and over, a thousand times,'_ C's voice told Jeremiah in his mind. _'People do not realize they march to death, only a few with the power to transcend humanity. That is the power of Geass.'_

"Just tell me who Zero is, dammit!" Jeremiah screamed, terrified of the images he was being shown. The image zoomed away infinitely, zooming away to reveal a blue eye, then the face, then the entire body of the Lady Marianne. She turned to show her side to him, with the Emperor facing her. The two moved closer together, then suddenly exploded into colors, before they all joined to create a black singularity, from which the cloaked figure of Zero emerged.

"My name is-"

0.0.0

Jeremiah felt his hand being ripped from C's. Jeremiah looked around, shocked at having returned to reality so abruptly.

"So you see," the green haired girl said. "the one who transcends humanity. That is zero."

"How long was I gone?" Jeremiah asked.

"My lord?" Villeta asked, confused. "You only held her hand for a second. You screamed and seemed to have a seizure." Jeremiah looked around in shock until C spoke again.

"Where you went, Jeremiah Gottwald, time and space have forgotten what they are."

"I don't see what you mean," Jeremiah admitted. "Just answer me one question. You were at the institute. And this Geass. Does Zero possess this kind of power?"

"He does. He was at the institute. The real question should be, who put him?"

"I see," Jeremiah acknowledged.

"You do not see," C refuted. "his power is beyond what a human can withstand. It is like trying to catch fire with your bare hands. You must be careful not to get burned. And when you find out who he is, will you be able to stay your course?" Jeremiah absorbed the girl's words.

"Are you some kind of witch?"

"Yes," the witch replied. "And he is a warlock." Jeremiah turned to leave, before turning around to ask one last question.

"Why did you choose the name C?"

"Because I've lost what color my name was supposed to make me. When you understand, visit me again." the girl smirked, her yellow eyes peering into Jeremiah's mind. Jeremiah turned and left.

"I'm not sure if that helped, Villeta. I now understand less than I thought I did. Why would someone willingly put Zero into a prison that gives incredible powers?"

"Perhaps he wasn't Zero yet," Villeta offered. Jeremiah nodded.

"Now we need to find out what he was before he was nothing."

0.0.0

Lelouch was setting up a camera in his sanctum, dressed only in a white buttoned shirt and black pants. The room was empty save for him and his video camera, which plugged into a camera. Lelouch walked around to face the camera, then backed up several feet.

"My name is Lelouch vi Britannia..."

Milly was working with Kallen's hair when Lelouch walked into the room, a dagger in his hand. Kallen didn't look at him, instead focusing on herself in the mirror.

"You look like something the cat dragged in," Lelouch announced from where he stood.

"She's not done yet," Milly replied saucily. She tucked on a braid, and Kallen grunted. "Sorry."

Lelouch walked in front of Kallen and knelt down, holding up the dagger. It was simple, mostly just black metal with a single ruby in the end in a heart-shaped pommel.

"This is the queen of throats," Lelouch announced, and drew it from the sheath to reveal a deep red blade. "It's a high-frequency blade with a monomolecular edge, coated in a blood thinner. All that means is it can and will cut through anything it wants to, and you won't be healing from a cut from this. Do not even play with it. To turn the blade on, press this button here," Lelouch pointed to a small button just below the blade, then pushed it. The blade emitted a short whine and seemed to vibrate in the air so fast that it seemed not to move. "Only use this if you absolutely have to. And don't lose it. It was my mother's." he turned off the vibration and placed it in its sheathe. He pulled out a garter belt with a special metal piece on it. He connected the sheathe to the belt and handed Kallen the dagger and all.

"Wear it on your thigh, under your dress. Practice dancing with Milly till you can dance without rubbing it into her leg." Kallen nodded solemnly. Milly kept working on her hair, and Lelouch glanced at her, then leaned in and gave Kallen a kiss, then stood and smiled. "I have to go put on my dress." Lelouch began to leave as the door opened before he reached it. Sayoko walked in carrying a large white box. Lelouch shook his head at Milly and left.

"Okay, Kallen, we're done with your hair til we get the dress on." Kallen stood and turned around to see Sayoko pull the lid off to reveal a red dress with black trim. "He's gonna be dumbstruck...and pissed. Strip." Kallen quickly slipped her shirt off and shimmied out of her jeans, leaving her in bra and panties. Milly and Sayoko began to lift the dress out of the box. "Bra won't work with this one, hun." Kallen took the bra off, suddenly glad she'd gone for a pair of black, lacy panties.

It was an hour's work to get Kallen into the dress, there were enough strings and laces for a sailing ship, Kallen thought, and it was incredibly tight on her chest. She looked like a red goddess in the mirror, though, especially since her hair almost matched the crimson of the main fabric.

"Why will Lelouch be pissed?"

"It belonged to his mother. I think this is actually the dress she wore giving that dagger it's name." Kallen looked down, at the dagger underneath on the belt holding up a fishnet stocking under her belt. "How did she give it that name?"

"She was given the assignment to kill seven nobles plotting to usurp the Emperor. And she slit all of their throats," Milly informed, standing next to Kallen, a hand on her hip. Kallen thought of what Lelouch was doing. "Yeah, the two were very similar. When the Emperor heard of it, he proposed on the spot. She became the queen of throats. She was a lioness after Lelouch and Nunnally were born. She'd do anything, even kill, to protect them. She did kill to protect them. And she always used that dagger." Kallen looked down at her dress, suddenly horrified by the previous wearer.

"Um...can we get a different dress maybe?" Kallen asked, nervously.

"It's the only one we have that would fit you. Look at me," Milly said, gesturing at her bosom. Kallen looked and saw the difference. Kallen took a deep breath. Stepping into a pair of black slippers, Kallen left the room as Sayoko held the door open. Suddenly she turned to Milly.

"What should I do at the ball? What if nobody likes me?" she asked, nervous.

"Be yourself and fuck them," Milly said, smiling. "You're you, and that's the better than anyone else you can be." Kallen smiled and held Milly's hand, willing herself to absorb the older woman's strength. She let go and smiled, then continued down the stairs. Ohgi took her arm as she descended the stairs and led her to an elevator. Ohgi pressed the black button on the elevator console and the door closed. Suddenly alone, Kallen took a breath. She did look good in the mirrored inner doors of the elevator. She just hoped Lelouch would appreciate it.

When the door opened, Lelouch was already in his purple suit, working with a choker. Kallen cleared her throat, and he turned to see her and stopped. His jaw dropped slowly, his eyes scanning everywhere.

"Whoa," Lelouch said, blinking. Kallen walked up to him, to see what he was doing. He tore his eyes from her long enough to look down at the choker. "This has a radio inside it, micro-sized," he held up an earring and a small piece of plastic, "this is the ear piece. It will be inserted into your ear, so only you can hear it. Just don't lose the left earring." With that he took put the earring on, then the right one, and finally gently put the piece of plastic into her ear. Lelouch touched the small jewel just below his chin on the scarf he wore around his neck. "Testing." The sound echoed louder in Kallen's ear, and she nodded. He put the choker around her neck, clipping it in the back.

"Press this to talk," Lelouch said, pointing at the area on her neck. Kallen felt and pushed down on the center jewel.

"Do I really have to wear this crap?" she asked, testing. Lelouch smiled and nodded. He walked past her to where his cloak and helmet were. Kallen turned, following him with her eyes, and saw the carriage. On the door was a sword and a black rose, with a raven perched above them. "What the hell is that?" Lelouch looked as he threw the cloak around himself, then looked back to her.

"Your transportation," he said. "It bears my mother's crest, modified so nobody will recognize it. Your Camille Lamperouge, and I'm at home guarding the house, but you couldn't bear to miss this ball. How's your accent?"

"Yes, guv'nor," Kallen replied sarcastically in a fake cockney accent. Lelouch's sword was suddenly at her heart. Kallen froze, her heart stopping.

"Milly said to be yourself, not an idiot. If you get caught there are only a few second chances, and all of them hinge on your being smarter than them," Lelouch said, angry. The sword came away, and Kallen took a breath. "If someone calls your lies, go to get punch. On the way, duck into the crowd, start dancing, start listening to a conversation. Never lose track of that person. Keep him as far away as you can without drawing attention to yourself. Don't move around all the time. Take a drink occasionally, eat something when everybody else is. Mix lies with the truth. If you can't get away from them, lure them away from the ball, into the other rooms, and play the Queen. If you're not sharp enough, she might be." Lelouch nodded at the skirt of Kallen's dress, where the dagger was pressed against her thigh. He sheathed the sword at his waist and picked up his helmet.

"One other thing. If you get into the other rooms. There will be nobles there who will be having sex. I wouldn't join in. Unless you meet some odd cloaked fellow wearing a helmet," Lelouch said as he took her hand an guided her to the carriage. Kallen noticed Tohdoh was sitting in the shotgun seat, grumbling. "Stop complaining, Kyoshiro. You're guarding an important Lady." Lelouch opened the door and guided her up. Kallen sat down, wringing her gloved hands. She felt some cold air on her exposed shoulders and noticed a black shawl. She wrapped it around herself as Lelouch closed the door. She saw him put his helmet on and duck under the carriage.

"I thought I would have a date," Kallen said, pressing the jewel on her radio choker, right over her throat.

 _'Only if you wanna be arrested on your first ball,'_ Zero replied over the radio.

'Are we ready, Zero?' Tohdoh asked over the radio.

 _'Go,'_ Zero replied. Kallen noticed how different the helmet made his voice sound. The carriage rocked once and began to move. One hand moved up to play with one of her dangling earrings. _'Isn't it a girl's favorite fantasy, going to a fancy ball in a pretty dress?'_

"I think I'd prefer home and a book, now," Kallen replied, pressing her radio.

 _'Oh come now, print is dead. This is my idea of a good time. Trapped under a vehicle that weighs a ton to go to a house full of people who either think I'm dead or want to arrest me...or both.'_ Kallen looked at the ceiling, praying that they'd be safe. She crossed herself and pressed her radio.

"How's the road?" she asked, half jokingly.

'We're sailing,' replied Tohdoh.

 _'On my back, keep it under thirty,'_ Zero added.

"What happened to a good time?"

 _'Kallen, shut up and let me dodge the shit.'_ there was a bump in the road, and Kallen instantly worried about Lelouch being down there. _'Books aren't that bad, though. I'm fine, by the way.'_

'Oh come on, Lulu, if you're not being shoved into uncomfortable places you're not doing your job right,' Milly said over the radio.

"Milly?" Kallen asked, holding her choker.

'That's right. I'll be acting as your back up from the house. I wouldn't let my sister from another mister go it solo.' Kallen smiled to herself, glad to have Milly in her corner.

 _'Milly, you are by far the blackest white chick I've ever met.'_ Kallen gave a snorting laugh, then covered her mouth, trying not to snort further.

'For schnizzle, my nizzle. Hey, how about the alphabet game while we wait to get there?'

 _'I can't see the signs.'_

'Good, you'll lose for once,' Milly replied.

'My honor prevents me from having an unfair advantage in this game,' came Kyoshiro's voice. 'Master Zero, shall I read the signs to you?'

 _'Oh just stop.'_

0.0.0

When the carriage finally entered the circle driveway of the Imperial Palace it was dark out. As the carriage they were in waited it's turn, Milly began to coach Kallen.

'Only briefly thank the valet. Let him open the door. Walk inside and as soon as you pass the door, stop and look around, then head to your left and grab a glass of champagne. Don't drink it right away.'

 _'Curtsy when you are bowed or curtsied to. Don't accept dances from the young ones. They want in your pants, and you're married. Don't show off any leg. That's a signal.'_

'Oh come on, live a little Lelouch, she is popping her cherry.'

 _'Let's not use that expression. Ever. Again.'_ The carriage opened, and Kallen was about to reach for the door when she remembered and quickly withdrew her hand. The door opened and a hand shot out from behind it. She gripped the hand for support as she stepped out and down. She didn't look at the valet.

"Thank you," she said, and began to walk quickly and confidently to the entrance. She nearly tripped on the heeled shoes, but didn't break her stride. As she entered, she saw the huge ballroom, all white and gold. She took a nervous inhale and suppressed it, then headed left for a drink.

0.0.0

As the carriage pulled away, Lelouch let go, dropping. He let the carriage pass him by and rolled quickly out of the way of the next one, then got to his feet running, crouched, to the wall of the building. Sneaking around the corner, Lelouch identified a guard. He let his Geass burn in his eyes, turning his vision red as he looked at the guard. The guard wasn't looking at him, but Lelouch's Geass was stronger than distance. _Turn away,_ Lelouch willed, and the guard turned to walk away from Lelouch.

He jumped and grabbed a ledge of the building's side, pulling himself up one handed. The climb was fairly easy, and Lelouch looked through the windows carefully, making sure he was not noticed. He stopped as he saw what was happening through a window.

" _Already? They couldn't even wait for the first toast,"_ Zero said into his radio, before resuming his climb.

'You're joking,' Milly said, incredulous. Lelouch smirked to himself and reached the third story window. He was about to open it when he saw two figures enter. _Find someplace else, lovers,_ he thought, and then peeked over the window sill. His eyes widened. It was his father and Schneizel, admiring a painting. Lelouch noted in shock it was of himself and Euphemia, in wedding clothes. He ducked down again when Charles turned his head to Schneizel, angrily. If only Lelouch could hear. Lelouch considered trying to nudge them with his Geass, but it was too risky. Both had sharp minds, they might notice the suggestion was not their own. As Lelouch weighed his options they moved on, Charles angrily stalking away, Schneizel following at a brisk pace, before stopping, and looking right at the window. Zero ducked just in time, avoiding detection. He waited a minute before peeking again. Schneizel was gone.

Lelouch reached up and undid the window, opened it slowly, and slipped in, not making a sound. He closed the window again, and looked from whence the two had come. Nothing in the hallway. No doubt the security was focused around the ball itself. Lelouch could hear as Milly dictated what Kallen do in the ball. He didn't mind, it kept him alert.

" _Milly, where is Cornelia's room?"_ Lelouch asked, careful not to speak too loud. She replied with the location, and Lelouch moved towards it, heading for the end of the hall. Lelouch leaned around the corner, barely enough to see. He could see Cornelia's door, and a guard, a sword at his hip. Lelouch weighed his options. He could use his sword or the miniature slash harken in his sleeve, but both would risk sound, and his pistol was right out. Lelouch developed his plan and walked up towards the guard. The man didn't even begin to draw his sword until Lelouch's visor was open, his Geass burning in his eye.

" _Let me know if anyone comes by while I'm in that room, until I leave,"_ Lelouch ordered, and the man's face went slack and he stepped aside.

"Yes, sir," the guard said as Lelouch stepped into the office. A painting of his and Cornelia's knighting ceremony was on the wall behind the desk. Lelouch approached the desk, whipping out a device that combined holographic keyboard and solid-state hard drive. Plugging it into the computer, Lelouch made short work of any security there was and copied the computer to the device, and erased his existence on the computer. He unplugged the device, and looked around through the various drawers. Nothing. Walking up to the table, Lelouch recognized the chess board. It had been their game. Unfinished since the day he was exiled from his own home. Lelouch touched the board and his finger came away with dust. Smirking to himself, Lelouch moved a piece. He smiled and left, nodding to the guard. As he walked away, the guard blinked, confused.

0.0.0

Kallen was enjoying a small appetizer when she heard a voice from behind her. She jumped and turned to see a young man in a white uniform, a sword at his hip. His wavy golden hair stunned Kallen and she stuttered for a second, then swallowed.

"I'm Gino," the blonde man said. Kallen smiled and nodded and tried to walk away. Gino just followed at her side, smiling.

'The knight of nine,' Milly informed in her ear. 'he's persistent and a ladies man, you might as well just swoon for him. He'll lose interest after one dance.'

"I'm sorry, you caught me off guard," Kallen said, stopping and offering her hand. "I'm Camille. I'd love a dance, but I think my husband would be quite angry with me." Gino took her hand and kissed the back.

"Certainly don't want to anger him too much," Gino teased. Kallen smirked at his pluck and walked with him, slowly this time.

"Would you like to dance?" Kallen said, teasing him right back.

"Oh, I'd hate to. Dancing is for the true amateurs. No, I'd rather get you off your feet, maybe give them a massage," the knight replied, his smile widening in a friendly manner.

'Oh, he's good,' Milly piped in.

 _'He's not that good,'_ Lelouch added in. Kallen moved her hand to her throat, running her pinky up and down the cleavage of her bosom as she pressed the jewel with her pointer finger.

"And just where would you like to take me?" she asked, sultry. Gino stepped in close, his breath sweet in her nose.

"Everywhere," the knight whispered.

'Really good,' Milly said again.

 _'Very very good,'_ Lelouch added. _'I'm soaked.'_

0.0.0

Lelouch pulled his sword from the man guarding Schneizel's room.

" _Is he also offering a coconut milk bath?"_ he asked over the radio.

0.0.0

"Well...as tempting as a massage is," Kallen whispered back, "I think I'd really love a bath...in some coconut milk. Made for two."

 _'You wouldn't.'_ Lelouch said, suddenly very irritated.

"Would you?" Gino teased, his voice barely a feather against her skin.

"I would," Kallen said, answering both voices. "But...there are guests to meet. Perhaps you could introduce me?' she took her hand away from her neck, gesturing at all the people. Gino bowed dramatically and offered her his arm. She curtsied and took it.

 _'Is this payback?'_ Lelouch asked, incredulous.

"Is that a ruby in your choker?" Gino asked. Kallen touched it, activating the radio again.

"Why yes," she said. She smiled as Gino began to show her around the room.

0.0.0

Lelouch unplugged the device from the computer and closed the laptop, irritated. _She's a tease,_ Lelouch thought to himself, standing up from the desk. He stepped over the body of the guard that he'd dragged into the room. Opening a closet, he threw the corpse into it, and closed it, heading to leave.

He opened the door a bit and peeked. He saw Euphemia and Cornelia in the hallway, and softly closed the door. He heard their footsteps stop for a second. Cursing to himself, he ran to the window and quickly hid out the windowsill. He looked up and saw Cornelia looking out into the night sky. He used his Geass and willed her to not look down, holding his breath. Cornelia frowned and closed the window. Lelouch let out a breath, then heard the click of the lock.

" _Shit."_

0.0.0

"So...your husband," Gino said. "Vengeful man?" his voice rang with mock-worry. Kallen smiled and nodded, then giggled along with Gino's laughter.

 _'I'm locked out.'_ Lelouch said.

'The computer? I thought you were better than that.'

 _'The third story window.'_ Lelouch replied. Kallen's eyes widened without realizing it.

"Something wrong?" Gino asked, concerned.

"Oh, nothing, I've just remembered I left my husband at home with a bit of a cliff hanger. Hoping he doesn't watch the telly without me."

0.0.0

Lelouch's fingers were getting numb. He looked down and saw the second story window was lit. Lelouch had to go for it, or he'd be in trouble. He let go, grabbing the ledge above the window, and swung, kicking the window open and landing on the couple engaging in something _definitely_ not for copulation. He used his Geass, his visor opening.

" _Go to sleep!"_ he said, angrily. The couple passed out in a second. They wouldn't remember the thirty-eight seconds before he used his Geass on them. Lelouch grunted as he climbed off of them, then threw a cover over them, grunting in disgust. He turned off the light and checked the hallway in both directions. Empty enough. He slipped out, and looked to see Euphemia reading something, heading toward him, before stopping and turning around. Lelouch sighed and followed after her, zooming past Cornelia standing with her back to the hall. He made no sound. As he entered the room, he threw himself silently into the corner, then into the closet, almost closing the door. Euphemia kept reading the piece of paper, walking by a portrait of him.

 _A lot of portraits of me,_ Lelouch thought, his mask smothering the sound of his breathing. Euphemia was pacing by it, and she absentminded reached out and stroked the cheek of the portrait. Lelouch almost felt her fingers brush his cheek.

0.0.0

 _Lelouch lowered the pistol, frowning._

" _You still love me, even after all those years."_

" _All those years," Euphemia said, sadly, "or after all those years of us growing up together loving each other? After those years, how could I fall out of love with you?" Lelouch gritted his teeth, a tear welling up in his eye._

" _I won't let you destroy my plans." Lelouch said, raising the pistol again. Euphemia closed her eyes._

" _Do what you feel you have to, Lelouch. I won't stop loving you for it." Lelouch growled._

 _When the shot didn't come, Euphemia opened an eye to see Lelouch gone. She opened her other and looked at her feet._

0.0.0

" _No, dammit, I told you. You can't love me!"_ Lelouch said to himself, softly. He thought of using his Geass, but the very thought broke his heart. Lelouch cried a single tear, watching Euphemia put the paper back in her desk and leave the room. What good was a power he couldn't use on someone? Lelouch tightened his fist as Euphemia turned out the light and left, clicking the door closed. Lelouch sighed and leaned against the back of the closet, crying silently to himself. He removed his helmet and wiped his eyes, sniffing. Suddenly a hand grabbed him, and jerked him out of the closet. Euphemia stood over him, aiming a tiny derringer pistol. Lelouch looked up at her in shock. On a reaction his Geass burned in his eyes and he stopped. He wouldn't. He couldn't.

Nor could Euphemia. She just stared at him, and Lelouch realized why. His helmet was off. He cursed again in his mind. Euphemia backed away.

"Euphie, what's taking so long?" Cornelia asked from the other side of the door. Lelouch looked from the door to Euphemia, worried. Euphemia put a finger to her lips, lowering the pistol slightly.

"Oh, I messed up my dress. Give me a second to straighten it out. It looks so terrible." the door began to open, and Lelouch crawled back, his cloak dragging across the floor. "I can get it, sis, just get out for a second, I'm naked!" Cornelia closed the door with a huffed reply of acquiescence. Lelouch took a second to stand up carefully, the fabric of his cloak rasping on the floor. Euphemia set the pistol down and wrapped her arms around Lelouch, her lips finding his. Lelouch found himself kissing her back, then froze. Kallen was in this very building.

"Lelouch," Euphie whispered, "come with me, we can go to father, we can explain everything-"

"I killed Clovis," Lelouch interrupted, dreading his sister-fiancee's reaction. She froze and backed away, getting closer and closer to the pistol. Lelouch leaned over to pick up his helmet, his face a mask of regret.

"You're zero," Euphemia observed, and Lelouch nodded sadly. "You're...here to kill me?" she asked, softly, looking up to his eyes. He shook his head, holding her gaze.

"At the moment I'm looking for a friend. I don't know who sent her away, or where. I've been rummaging around in Cornelia's and Schneizel's computers. Only had Odysseus's left."

"What about Nunnally?" Euphemia asked, softly. Lelouch's face hardened.

"I'm doing all of this for everyone hurt. That includes Nunnally, and my mother. This is for her happiness too." Euphemia narrowed her eyes in disgust.

"All she needs for her happiness is to be with you, Lelouch. Get out, I won't tell anyone. I swear it. I'm your wife, Lelouch. Even if it never happened, I still thought you were my husband. But you have to explain it to me. All of it. Later."

"Give a place and time to Camille Lamperouge downstairs. I'll be there."

0.0.0

Cornelia finally grew impatient and opened the door to Euphemia's room, only to see Euphemia slipping her dress back on.

"Sis!" Euphie chided, shrieking. "Get out!"

"Sorry!" Cornelia cried, and slammed the door closed.

0.0.0

Lelouch landed with his cloak flapping around him, and quickly ran for the fence and vaulted it in a single move. He ran to the carriage and jumped inside, then removed his helmet and pulled the scarf about his neck open, letting his sweat-covered skin breathe the air. He pressed the jewel at his neck to activate his radio.

" _Have Kallen meet Euphemia before she leaves,"_ Lelouch said. When Milly confirmed, Lelouch pulled the tiny speaker from his ear and threw it into his pocket, angry.

0.0.0

Kallen couldn't hear Milly or Lelouch over her radio. He dress was pushed up, and she was moaning as she rocked with the knight of nine. As the began to reach her full, she began to moan a name.

"Lelouch!" she moaned, and her knight froze. Gino's eyes met hers, and she realized what she had said as she looked into Gino's hurt eyes. She pushed the knight off of her and fixed her dress and quickly left, her eyes tearing in shame as she left. She ran face first into Euphemia.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry," Kallen said, then broke off when she saw the princess, and her jaw hung open in shock.

"Oh...hello. We met earlier," Euphemia said, smiling sweetly. She held out a piece of paper. "I think this is yours. You dropped it last time we met. I'm glad I was able to meet you, Camille." Euphemia then passed by her, smiling, followed closely by Cornelia.

Kallen began to sob after they had left, and she picked up her skirts, running back to the carriage, tears flowing. Lelouch emerged and hugged Kallen, asking questions, if she was hurt, if she was alright. Kallen pushed past him, feeling evil, and got in, sitting down. Lelouch sat down opposite her.

"I had sex with Gino. And I said your name," Kallen said, sobbing and sniffing. Lelouch sat back, dread written into his face.

"Euphemia kissed me," Lelouch registered Kallen's expression worsening. "And I kissed her back."

0.0.0

Milly was sitting by the fire with a book when Kallen ran through, running straight upstairs. Milly jumped out of her chair in time to see Lelouch walk through the door, wearing just his suit.

"What happened?" Milly asked, worried. Lelouch pulled the white silk scarf from around his neck, wrapping it up in his hands.

"We've been somewhat unfaithful to each other accidentally on purpose," Lelouch said, somber. Milly glanced up stairs, and Kallen ran out.

"I want out of this crap!" Kallen shouted, and Milly ran up the stairs to the crying girl. As they headed for Kallen's room, Lelouch sat down, placing his head on his hand. He pulled the hard-drive from his inner pocket and turned it around in his hand. Even if it led him to his friend, he wasn't sure it was worth losing Kallen.

0.0.0

Kallen was sobbing as Milly undid the laces on the back of the dress, and Milly finally pulled it up over Kallen's head, leaving her in just her black panties. Kallen sobbed a thank you and jumped on the bed, refusing to speak more. Milly sat down on the bed, and covered Kallen in a few sheets, stroking her arm gently.

"I'm sure it's not all that bad," Milly said, soothingly. Kallen looked over her shoulder, half turning.

"I...I'm not crying because he made a mistake," Kallen said, sobbing, "I'm crying because, if I weren't here, he would have her." Milly stroked Kallen's arm some more.

"There's nothing I can think of to say to convince you. But you make him happy just as you are. When we love someone, we have to accept their faults and mistakes. All of them." Kallen turned her back to Milly. Milly stood and walked out of the room, turning the lights out as she left. Kallen laid in her bed. Her mind ran Milly's thoughts through her head. She hoped she loved Lelouch. But her mistake was a million times worse. As she sank into sleep, she gradually stopped crying and sank into oblivion.

0.0.0

Milly found Lelouch in his sanctum, typing away on his computer.

"So...Kallen's sleeping," Milly reported. Lelouch looked her way but not directly at her.

"That's good," he replied, emotionless. Milly put a hand on her hip, her mouth open in anger.

"'That's good?' It's not good, Lelouch. Why was she crying?"

"I kissed Euphemia," Lelouch said, loud enough for it to reverberate through the large room. "Now can we please stop talking about it? I can forgive Kallen, but my mistake was unforgivable. I should never have let her trick me so easily."

"Stop talking about it? Sure. You could use those eyes of yours on me, and I'd be your happy little slave, Lelouch. You could even use it on Kallen. But you need to let someone in, Lelouch." Milly turned and stalked from the large room, leaving Lelouch with the computer. Lelouch looked down at the piece of paper Euphie had written it down on. He considered throwing it away.

" _You still love me, even after all those years."_

" _All those years," Euphemia said, sadly, "or after all those years of us growing up together loving each other? After those years, how could I fall out of love with you?" Lelouch gritted his teeth, a tear welling up in his eye._

Lelouch picked it up, reading it. He had to at least try.


	6. Turn 06

**The Black Knight**

Please remember to review, it makes me think this is still worth doing!

Disclaimer: Euphemia:(to Lelouch) so...you didn't find anything embarrassing in my closet did you?

Lelouch: No you have nothing to worry about.

Euphemia: Really?

PAUSE

Lelouch:  the following is a non-profit-

Euphemia: because I had a lot of embarrassing clothing in there...

Lelouch: (Warily) like what?

Euphemia: like my toddler outfit. PAUSE and the leather outfit I wear when I go to the clubs and whip bad politicians...

Lelouch: ...what?

Euphemia: support the official release!

 **Turn 06 Judgment of Jealousy**

Lelouch had been typing away at his computer for six hours. His nerves were driven into a frenzy by caffeine and a need for the information he sought. As he tried to take a sip from the cup, he noticed it was empty, and frowned in annoyance. He looked down at the piece of paper. The library on Saint Derwin Street. The street was home to all of the royal residences. In other words, the Royal Family's back yard. The time was noon. He had plenty of time. But...the computers had been worthless. They had been, until now. Lelouch noticed a hidden directory. Diving in, Lelouch discovered enough documents. They were Schneizel's. Lelouch almost smirked to himself. Now he had the where.

Kallen woke up in a chill. She realized she was just in her panties and wrapped the sheet to cover herself as she ran to the dresser, pulling on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She slipped on her tennis shoes and tied them. Then headed out the door. As she headed down the stairs, she saw Lelouch stuffing his pockets with various items, including a pistol, into a black trench coat. He pulled a black ball cap on, covering his eyes.

"Lelouch," Kallen called out. He looked up, then back down in embarrassment. "You're...heading out? Can I come with you?"

"That's," Lelouch said, hesitating, "not a good idea. It'll be tricky enough without having to cover you as well."

"Is it because of what I did last night?" Kallen asked, afraid of his answer. Lelouch lowered his head even more.

"Honestly Kallen," he said, carefully, "I didn't care about your mistake. I've slept with others in the heat of the moment, and I didn't always...no. It's not because of what you did." With that he buttoned his coat, and looked up her. He gave a weak smile and started to headed to the mansion door. "We can talk when I get back, if you want."

"Be careful!" she called as he left. It felt hideously inadequate.

Lelouch slipped on a helmet, folding his hat into his pocket. He fired up the purple motorcycle and started for his destination. Kallen's warning rang in his ears under the roar of the wind. Yes, he'd certainly have to be careful. After an hour, he was able to park his bike almost a mile away and began to walk, running over what he'd have to do in his head. The library was just opening. Lelouch walked inside, a black king chess piece in his hand, and Lelouch began to run it through his fingers, flipping it endlessly. His Geass lit up in his eyes, and he began to set up his plan.

The sun was at it's Zenith as Euphemia and Suzaku entered the library. She began to walk into the library, looking for Lelouch.

"Princess Euphemia?" asked the librarian dreamily. When Euphie smiled and nodded, the librarian continued, handing her a piece of paper. "Look in this section, you'll find it enlightening." Euphemia read the piece of paper. It was a book's location in the Library's numbering system.

"What was that about?" Suzaku asked, curious.

"He's telling us where to go," Euphemia said, realizing it aloud. She went to the nearest computer and found the book's location. It was on the second level, in the center library, a massive circular room. Euphie headed for the stairs, Suzaku following a hand on his knight's sword.

Lelouch watched them head up the stairs and saw the spies move to keep an eye on her. Lelouch's eyes lit up red and he moved, his face a mask.

Euphemia began to look at the tops of the shelves, trying to find the correct combination of numbers. When she found it, she put a finger that the top rightmost book and began to browse through the books as she went. She found the number. She pulled the Count of Monte Cristo, and flipped through it. It contained nothing. She was about to put the book back when she saw the cell phone behind it. She pulled the phone out and it began to ring.

Euphemia looked at Suzaku, who shook his head, idea-less, and opened and answered it.

"Hello?" she said, quietly.

'You brought the stiff. And about a dozen spies. They won't be remembering much of your visit, though. You're welcome,' Lelouch said over the phone.

"Lelouch? Where are you?" Euphemia asked. The line was silent for a few seconds.

'The park on the opposite side of the street from the Library. Head that way. I'll contact you again with the exact location. It'll take me a few minutes.'

Lelouch closed the phone as he headed down the stairs. This was going better than he thought. He passed the snoring spies, his mouth curling in disgust. He grabbed the sunglasses from one of their pockets, slipping them onto his face.

Euphemia pocketed the cell phone in her riding jacket, and nodded to Suzaku. Suzaku nodded in response and Euphemia led the way. They went down the stairs, passing the librarian from earlier, then left the building.

Lelouch watched them go from the bench in front of the library, looking for all the world like a bicyclist. With a penchant for black, but then which of them didn't have that? He stood and headed a different direction, pulling his cell phone to send a text.

Euphemia pulled the cell phone as it vibrated, she saw she had a text from Lelouch and opened it.

THE MEMORIAL OF FALLEN HEROES.

Euphemia began to follow the memorial pathway that led through all of the memorials, reading each plaque as she passed them. It took about thirty minutes. When they reached the memorial in question, she saw a homeless man sitting on the bench in front of it, his legs crossed. The phone vibrated again.

TAKE A LOAD OFF, the text said. Another vibration. HE WON'T BITE. Euphemia scowled and sat, primly, by the homeless man.

"So, Suzaku is your bodyguard?" the homeless man asked. Suzaku narrowed his eyes and grabbed the man by his collar, over Euphemia's protests. Reaching into the man's ears, he pulled away a blue tooth headset and offered it to Euphemia. Euphemia placed it on her ear.

'Tell the bodyguard he needs to loosen up. It's just a little paranoia and theatricality on my part,' came Lelouch's teasing voice. 'You wanted to know some things.'

"Why did you do it?" Euphemia asked, her voice accusatory. The homeless man began to snore. Suzaku looked up at the sky, annoyed.

'Clovis, or something else?' Lelouch asked through the device.

"Yes, Clovis."

'Clovis had his attributes, but his injustices towards non-Britannians sealed his fate before I got to him. Originally they were going to hang him by his entrails...' Lelouch tapered off, realizing who he was talking to. 'I was merciful enough. Better than he deserved.'

"He didn't deserve to die. You could've given him a trial."

'In what country? Britannia wouldn't sentence him for the rape and murder of non-citizens. And they wouldn't allow any other country to do it either. This is not revenge for my imagined slights, Euphemia. My ulterior motives don't guide my hand.'

"They don't? Sounds like a lie to me," Euphemia challenged. "And clearly you're too cowardly to face me in person." There was silence on the line.

'Let me come over then. But you need to give me your oath you won't try anything. Suzaku either. Swear to silence.'

"I swear it."

'On your name?'

"It's your name too. We were supposed to be married as well, if you remember. I felt as though we were the day they betrothed us." Lelouch sighed over the line. A figure in black clothes and sunglasses came over and sat down between Euphemia and the homeless man, telling the later to take a hike.

"Well, we didn't consummate the marriage," Lelouch said, putting his phone in his pocket, removing his sunglasses. "Hello, Suzaku."

"Sir," Suzaku replied respectfully.

"The princess and I need privacy," Lelouch said. Euphemia gestured, and Suzaku nodded, stepping away, turning to watch the comers and goers through the park. "Where would you like me to start then, wife?"

"How did you escape?" Euphemia asked, angrily.

"I didn't. I was freed by the resistance. They attacked the building in my fifth year there. I was able to escape. A few hundred were killed by the guards. After that, I managed to escape to Japan by boat from the west coast. I fell in with some old supporters of my mother. I spent the next five, rebuilding their power and position, and building an army. It wasn't hard. As you know, all people hope for the future. I was able to give them that hope."

"Based on a lie," Euphemia accused.

"Based on a truth," Lelouch said, leaning forward with his elbows and his knees. "And the truth is there is something wrong with this world, isn't there?" he gestured at the park, "Oh, you don't notice it here, where no foreigners are allowed, of course. But the ghettos, the worker camps, spread around this city. There you might be surprised. They are brought to Pendragon, nay, Britannia itself, with the promise of work, only to slave away as servants and construction workers just to have shelter and food and not be sent back to the countries Britannia has destroyed." Euphemia looked around her. It was true, Suzaku was the only Japanese person here, and was drawing angry looks from everybody who passed. "Suzaku there is an exception, not the rule. That's why I created the Black Knights."

"You could petition. You don't need bloodshed," Euphemia said, somber.

"I could. I could feed the weak, the sick. I could reimburse them when their goods are stolen by the Britannians. I could give speeches to lift their hope. But it's just a stopgap. It's treating the symptoms, not the illness. The illness is the people. And the people are exemplified by the nobles."

"Do you mean to destroy Britannia, then?"

"As you know it, yes. To create a new one. Without prejudice. Without hate. Maybe one that would even unite the world as it should be united. Through understanding. A federation of nations."

"Communism," Euphemia said, in irritation.

"No, no, no," Lelouch said, disagreeing quietly. "No, I don't think humanity is capable of a successful communism. A capitalism. Like Britannia is now. Just where everyone who is borne into the nation or wishes to join it is given equal legal status. No wage gaps between Britannian and Number. No areas. Each it's own state. If it's an Empire, with an Emperor limited by a list of powers, with other groups with the ability to check that power. To control it. Britannia has that, but only for it's own citizens. Suzaku is an honorary Britannian, and he's still not given the status of a true Britannian."

"Sounds like an impossible dream," Euphemia said softly. Lelouch looked at her to see her looking at her knees. He put a hand to her knee, and her hand went over his.

"It's a good dream. A dream worth having," Lelouch said, defending himself. "But not one I could ever achieve peacefully. Ends justify means."

"Ends never justify means," Euphemia said, her voice a song of sorrow.

"That's how we are different. You are good for good's sake. I'm evil for good's sake." Lelouch removed his hand from her knee, sitting back. "I'll bear my sin until I die. I'll be the enemy of all life, to preserve it."

"With a mask," Euphemia said, teasing.

"Zero is my will. With Zero I'm able to do what I need to to create this world I believe in. for the world, and Nunnally. And you." Euphemia looked at Lelouch. She began to trace the line of his jaw with the back of her fingers, and he reached up and grabbed her hand. He sniffed it, his eyes closing at her bouquet. "You smell the same the last time I met. My favorite scent on you."

"It was my wedding ring all those years you were gone," Euphemia told her brother-fiancee.

"I saw you touch my portrait in your room," Lelouch whispered, smiling slightly.

"I've done it every day. It's hard for me not to do it." She began to lean into kiss him, and his fingers touched her lips, stopping her.

"I...I haven't been as pure to you as you have been to me." Lelouch frowned slightly.

"I'd thank them for keeping you happy while you were away," Euphemia said, meaning every word. Lelouch's brow furrowed.

"I mean I have some feelings that I can't readily dismiss...or completely embrace," Lelouch said softly.

"For Camille?" Euphie asked.

"Kallen," Lelouch said. "her name is Kallen. She's...very different from you, and the same at the same time." his face smiled, then hardened. "She...slept with another man last night. And she said my name in the act. And while I can forgive her, I don't know how to handle it. Ten years I went without those kinds of emotions. I've forgotten how to react. Sometimes I think I'm forgetting more and more what kind of human being I am. Like...if snow were originally a different color, but then it turned white, and it forgot how to be the other color."

"You're still the same, Lelouch," Euphemia said, smiling sweetly and leaning her head to one side. "When you need to talk to her, you'll know your feeling without even realizing it."

"How do you know?" Lelouch whispered, leaning into her.

"Because I know you, Lelouch."

"My friend," Lelouch said, turning serious again. "I've found out where she is. I'm going to get her with Zero. You can't tell anyone, Euphie. Keep the cell phone. They can't trace it back to me, or to you. Keep it secret. Keep it safe," Lelouch said, and he stood, slipping his sunglasses on.

"I'll keep you secret," Euphemia said, to herself. Suzaku walked back over. "Suzaku, I need you to promise me you won't discuss what you saw with anyone, ever. On your vows to serve me, I need you to promise me."

"Of course, my lady," Suzaku replied.

Kallen was sitting on the stairs when Lelouch walked in. He saw her and closed the door, leaning against it. She just watched her feet nervously, glancing at him.

"I've...gotten some advice," Lelouch began, thoughtfully. "And I wanted to ask-"

"I'd like to talk first," Kallen said, suddenly. "If I can." When Lelouch didn't stop her, Kallen continued, breathing nervously. "Last night, was a mistake on my part, and I feel really bad about it. But what you did, after what I said. I wanted to say, what I'm trying to say, is that I'm willing to wait, until this whole thing is over before we decide anything."

"That's...one way to make it work, I suppose," Lelouch said, looking at Kallen with new found respect, and confusion. "I suppose it's fair to tell you. I was speaking with Euphemia. I can't entirely reconcile what we have, and what Euphemia and I...I don't know the right tense to describe it at the moment. Had, have, will have?" Lelouch growled and ran his hands over his eyes. "I need some sleep," he declared. "But I have too much work to do. Even if I would dictate it to Ohgi or Tohdoh, if the worst happened, it would be far worse than I can imagine. This friend that I'm going to free, she gave me my Geass. If she decided to give another this kind of power..."

"Like yours?" Kallen asked.

"Each Geass is different, as far as I know. She told me that it is the extension of their mind and consciousness," Lelouch explained, rubbing his eyes.

"She?" Kallen asked, sighing in frustration.

"Just a friend. It's more of a contract between people. She gives me Geass, I fulfill one wish of hers. She later told me what she wanted. After a fashion."

"What does she want?" Kallen asked, annoyed.

"Death," Lelouch said, lowering his hands to his sides. "She's been alive longer than Britannia's existed.

"She's older than Britannia?" Kallen asked, shocked.

"She's older than the language, Kallen," Lelouch said, shocking her. "Even a Geass user, with their expanded mental tolerance, and stronger brain physiology, can't withstand the amount of experience. You could even say she can't. She's not entirely still all there."

"She's insane?" Kallen asked, now concerned.

"She can't really be considered by the same judgments we hold ourselves. If Geass is the power of the king, a Code is the power of a god. Immortality, to begin with. Then others that I can't even name. She doesn't even know how it started. Adam and Eve? Prometheus? It's a philosophical puzzle. And one I don't bother engaging in." Lelouch groaned again. Kallen looked up and down.

"I could help you get some rest," she offered, innocently. Lelouch nodded, and she stood and offered a hand. Lelouch took it, and she dragged him upstairs to her room. This isn't for me, she thought, ordering herself. This is for him. As she opened the door, she took him into the room, then closed and locked it behind her. Without turning around, she pulled her shirt off, revealing her top half, completely exposed, and took off her sneakers. Lelouch was sitting on the bed, his eyes closed, when she turned around, stepping barefoot up to him. She began to stroke his face with her fingers, gently, wiping underneath his eyes with her thumbs, her fingers rubbing his temples. He opened his eyes and saw what she had planned.

"Kallen," Lelouch said, trying to stop her.

"This isn't for me," she interrupted. "I can't fight or help you figure out plans. I can help you sleep, keep you warm and happy. Even if I can't keep you. I'll be selfish by helping you until I can't anymore." She pulled off her jeans, standing almost naked before him. Lelouch smiled, sleepily.

"You could learn to fight if you wanted to. We have swords and Knightmare Frames," Kallen interrupted Lelouch's groggy speech with a finger to his lips. She got down on her knees and pulled his shoes off, then lifted his feet and set them on the bed, Lelouch turning and laying down. Kallen crawled over top of him, curling up against him, pulling the sheet over them both.

"Kallen," Lelouch started.

"Go to sleep, Lelouch," Kallen interrupted again, watching his eyes as they closed.

"I was going to say thank you." Kallen smiled as his speech descended into deep breathing as he drifted to sleep. "And I thought we were going to do it again..." Kallen rolled her eyes then smiled as he began to snore.

Kallen was jerked awake when Lelouch jumped at his own awakening. She looked around, groggy, then to Lelouch, he shook his head and laid back down, stroking her hair absent-minded. Kallen looked behind her to see that it was dark outside. She turned to look at Lelouch to see him turning to face her as well.

"3 a.m. The witching hour. Ironically enough. If you want to help, you can ask Ohgi how to pilot a Knightmare. He can teach you the basics just as easily as I could. Just...not right now. In the meantime, you can help me get ready," Lelouch said. They both got up, Kallen pulling on the pink t-shirt she'd put on this morning, walking down with Lelouch as he padded, barefoot, downstairs to his elevator. Kallen entered the elevator with him, and he pressed a button. When the door opened, a large black robot stood in the center of the room, where the carriage had been.

"This is the Raven," Lelouch explained, walking quickly over to it. "It's a custom seventh-generation Knightmare Frame built in India especially for my use." Lelouch pulled his black sweater off, leaving him bare-chested. He pulled out a large box of black plastic, and snapped it open. Pulling a pair of black leather pants from it, he set them down then removed the pants we was wearing at the moment. Kallen walked up to the table by where he was changing.

"That's not your usual suit," Kallen said, confused.

"My old suit is good for theatrics. Not so good for combat. This one is made for pilot-survival in Knightmare combat," Lelouch said as he pulled on the pants. He pulled the matching top out. As he pulled it on like a jacket, it was so long that it hung over his waist somewhat. He pulled the helmet out of the box and carried it over as he took her hand, showing her the massive computer system that was built into the wall. He typed in a sequence and a map came up with a single dot, noted with the number zero. "This is me at my location. The map will show my current location, along with any units the Raven is able to detect. If I need directions, use the mouse to look around. Right-click to return to my location." Kallen sat down in the throne-like chair. Lelouch knelt down, and Kallen was reminded of a knight kneeling before a lady. "You don't really need to try that hard. I've formed a plan already. They'll have a hard time catching me. Especially when I shoot back." Lelouch smiled, chuckling. "And I've decided to have it both ways until I can't anymore. I'm selfish like that." he leaned in and kissed her. Kallen thought about fighting it, but then decided to hell with it, and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Come back to finish that," Kallen said when they ended the kiss. Lelouch nodded seriously and donned his Zero helmet, then stood and climbed into the pod on the back of the Raven. The pod slid closed, and it stood, the feet opening slightly to reveal a pair of wheels inside the feet. With a screech of tires it took off.

The asylum's black iron gates were guarded by a pair of Sutherland. They were older Knightmare frames, practically obsolete. As Lelouch started to approach, they tried to demand his identification. In response he flipped a selector on the horizontal control reins, and the Raven drew its mvs swords, the twin blades emitted a whine as they powered up, turning red from the internal heat. The two machines opened fire, but Lelouch was able to dodge and weave through their hail of bullets, their targeting systems unable to keep up with him. He swung his swords, cutting both machines in half. By the time they collapsed he'd already smashed through the gate.

He approached his target from the outside, slowing down. He activated the active search on his Knightmare Frame and a trio of factsphere sensors appeared, one from the head unit, two more in the chest. When he saw the face move away from the window with a flash of green hair, he shot his four slash harkens into the wall.

C stood back as the wall was smashed open. She walked out to the open wall, looking up to the machine as it closed its mechanical eyes.

'Is there something you want to say, witch?' came the pilot's voice over the Knightmare's speakers. C's face remained passive.

"What took you so long, warlock?" She walked up to the mechanical giant, over the rubble of her prison wall. "Someone was asking about you earlier."

'All the more reason to leave now,' the warlock replied, and the giant turned in place, and the back pod slid open, the pilot's chair sliding back on its track. He leaned down and offered a hand, and C jumped and took it, pulling herself up as the warlock pulled. She finally sat in his lap as the cockpit slid closed.

" _You've lost weight,"_ Zero noted, taking a hold of the machine's control reins. He moved the machine forward, turning, heading out through the gate past the wreckage of two Knightmares. The screens displayed a warning, showing a pair of enemy contacts behind them as they came onto the freeway. _"More Knightmares. Seems to be their only response to problems. Throw the military at it."_ One of the screens changed to a rear view. It was a pair of Gloucester, armed with basic lances and KF assault rifles.

Lelouch typed a few buttons on his center console, and the two massive wing-like cloak shields on the Raven's back opened into a speed mode, swept back to decrease resistance. Another warning appeared, and the screen switched back to a rear-view. The Lancelot was approaching, out-running the two other Knightmares, its rifle in hand.

" _I was wondering why it was so easy."_ Suzaku was sworn to Euphemia, but all of Britannia's military and police forces were dedicated to finding him. That included the team that developed the Lancelot. The rifle came up and unleashed a green bolt. Lelouch moved the Raven left, barely dodging the energy beam. He spun the Knightmare, continuing to proceed down the empty freeway, just backwards to bring the Raven's shields and weapons to bear. Lelouch flipped a selector, the Raven's chest opening. A red glow began to shine from the machine's chest, and Lelouch pulled the trigger. A red and black beam shot from the Raven's chest, barely missing the Lancelot, which shielded, but striking the two machines following it, melting or burning everything the beam touched. The two machines activated their auto eject, leaving just the white machine.

Lelouch drew his machine's swords, closing the hadron cannon in the Raven's chest.

'You won't get away this time!' Suzaku declared over the Lancelot's speakers, launcing three slash harkens. Zero began to pull on his reins, weaving the Raven into dodging the remote weapons. The wires pulled the anchors back to the white Knightmare just as it threw a punch. Lelouch jerked the reins, an arming shooting up to block it, then slashed with his other sword, scratching the Lancelot's chest.

Suddenly Lelouch pushed both reins forward, and the Raven jerked in response, suddenly reversing and carrying the Lancelot through the concrete railing of the side of the elevated freeway. They landed on the street below amidst a rain of rubble. Lelouch recovered faster, slashing with both swords. The Lancelot dodged, then began to block with is shields, the green energy barrier stopping the oscillating blade. It tried to bring its rifle up to shoot, when Lelouch slashed at it through the Raven. The rifle sparked, and Lelouch backed away, quickly. The Lancelot through the weapon sky ward, and hit it with a slash harken, destroying it in a green explosion. Recovering, the Lancelot drew its swords.

"What's you plan to get away from that thing? It would take too long to beat it, and we risk more attention fighting," C said, her tone deadpan. Lelouch wasn't surprised by her lack of concern.

" _Unfortunately, you're wrong. The attention is already here."_ he gestured to their rear-view screen, where four Sutherlands stood, rifles ready. _"A king between a knight and four pawns, where does he go?"_ With that, Lelouch pulled backwards on the sticks, reversing the Raven. When he reached them, they'd started firing, and Lelouch fired his two knee-mounted slash harkens, the force of them sending the Raven upward. Lelouch flipped the Knightmare over the pawns, their fire almost hitting the Lancelot but for a shield the white machine erected at the last minute. Lelouch spun and continued to drive away. As he drifted around the corner, the Raven emitting a squeal inside it's frame as he did. Seeing an entrance into the sewer large enough for a Knightmare, Lelouch jumped the machine into it, driving down into the darkness, just as the Lancelot rounded the corner.

Lelouch and C watched the Lancelot in the center screen, Lelouch holding his breath. When the machine rolled away, he let it out and began to type away at his center console. The screen showed a map of the sewers. Deciding a route, Lelouch turned the Raven around and began his drive back to the mansion.

Kallen rolled in her chair as she heard wheels approaching through the large tunnel. The Raven appeared, folding its wings over its chest like a cloak, and it stopped and knelt, its cockpit sliding open. A green-haired girl dropped out, took one look at Kallen, and turned away. Lelouch dropped down, taking his leather gloves off before he removed his helmet. He took a deep breath.

"C, Kallen. Kallen, C," Lelouch said, gesturing from one to another. Kallen looked C up and down, shocked at her appearance. The green-haired witch was dressed in something that looked like a straight jacket. C merely met her gaze.

"She looks like Joan of Arc," C told Lelouch. Lelouch raised an eyebrow, setting his helmet down. Kallen could do nothing but stare at the strange woman.

"Nice to meet you," Kallen said, trying to be polite.

"You too," C said, deadpan. "Any chance I could get some sleep?' the last question was directed At Lelouch, who was picking out a pair of pink pajamas. He threw them at C, who looked at them in confusion. "Something I need to wear?"

"You should at least wear something to bed. I know you. You'd just strip off that outfit of yours and make some comment about me sleeping on the floor." Lelouch pulled a t-shirt and pajama bottoms out for himself, both colored black. He peeled the leather jacket off of his skin, wincing.

"Do you need a shower?" Kallen asked C, who merely looked at her deadpan again. When she didn't answer, Kallen looked at Lelouch, asking again.

"Only if you come with me," he replied, mischievous. Kallen leaned her head to one side, embarrassed by his attitude in front of a guest. And a stranger, to her.

"I'm going to bed, good night." C said, turning away.

Later, when Kallen was wrapping a towel around her body after her and Lelouch's shower, he picked her up, bridal-style and threw her onto her bed, turning her so she was laying on the bed long ways. He climbed atop her, still dripping, and lowered his lips to hers. She was shocked enough by the sudden interest that she kissed him back, her hands on his shoulders, not fighting it, but not yet pulling him closer either. His hand went down and undid the towel around her, flipping it open, revealing her to his gaze.

"What about all that stuff with Euphemia, and-" Kallen said as Lelouch inspected her with a smirk. He interrupted her with his reply.

"I told you I'm being a bit selfish. You can blame me later, but I'd rather have you both if I can." Kallen breathed huskily at his answer. She tried not to put her limbs around him, fighting the urge to make them whole. "You didn't seem to be this reticent about the shower together."

"I'm not...it's just," Kallen said, trying to figure out what to say.

"Stop thinking," Lelouch ordered, lowering himself onto her. His skin was hot enough on hers, even with the water, that her will to resist was quickly destroyed. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed her again, pushing against him to drive their bodies closer. He suddenly retreated, planting kisses down her neck, then her chest, his hands working her feminine flesh, then her belly, kissing and biting gently. Kallen leaned up on her elbows, watching his black haired head going down, down past her hips.

"What are you-" she asked, then she was shocked out of thinking at the feel of his mouth on her between her thighs. "Lelouch, ohmygod!" she cried in sweet agony. He looked up at her with his villain's eyes, a dark humor looking up at her as his hands worked her chest and his mouth worked her center.

"A cunny bottom," Lelouch said between ministrations, "should've known." Kallen's hands began to search around on the bed, hunting for anything she could hold on to. She grabbed his hands on her chest, squeezing.

"Oh god!" she leaned up, tensing her belly to sit up enough to look down at him, "Lelouch, I can't, oh please!" her begging came from a very powerful feeling swelling up and she gave a scream as it ripped through her body. She laid back, breathing in soft moans, unable to think. Lelouch laid down beside her, on his side, looking down at her face. She just continued to breathe, unable to speak yet.

"Was that good for you?" he teased. She smiled with her mouth open, grabbing his chest to stop the world's spinning.

"Gimme a minute, please," she said breathlessly.

"Kallen?!" came a voice from behind the door. Lelouch chuckled.

"She's fine," he said, loud enough to be heard through the door. "She's just a bit overloaded at the moment."

"Oh," said the voice in realization. Kallen closed her eyes in embarrassment. Now the whole house knew about it. She covered her face for a second, still breathing.

"They're very discreet," he promised. "I was India, remember? There's a reason they wrote the book of love." She gave him an irritated look.

"In that case, Mr. Sexpert, shall I return the favor?" Lelouch smirked.

"No need, it was my pleasure." he leaned down, suddenly on top of her again. "Does that mean you're ready again?" Kallen watched him smile, patiently.

"Well...unless you have any more ideas I am." Lelouch's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "What are you thinking?" she asked accusingly, suddenly very worried. Lelouch climbed off the bed, reaching for her door. When he turned there was a long pink piece of fabric. Kallen realized it was the belt from her fluffy robe. Then he grabbed the one long-sleeved black t-shirt she'd gotten at the last visit to the mall.

"Do you trust me?" Lelouch asked, twirling the belt of her robe in his hand. Kallen backed up onto the bed a bit more, until her back was against the headboard.

"In theory," she said carefully, eying him.

"I did this, once, in Japan. I was a bit angrier back then, though, and she didn't take kindly to it. As you've seen, I'm far more controlled now. I'm going to use this," he held up her t-shirt, "as a blindfold, and this," he held up the belt of her robe, "to tie your hands to the headboard. It'll be intense. Do you want any music, or anything you can think of to make you more comfortable?" Kallen looked at him, thinking for a few seconds.

"Music," she said. Lelouch nodded and set the pieces of her wardrobe down, reaching into the small drawer by her bed. Retrieving a small stereo, he turned it on and found a classical music station, turning the volume up enough to be heard easily, but not overloud.

"Anything else?" Kallen got an idea this time, and she rolled off the bed, past Lelouch's naked form, and bent down to get in the bottom drawer of her dresser. She pulled out the strappy heels, the black ones that Milly had insisted on, and sat down cross legged to strap them on, snapping them around her ankles. She stood, showing them off. Lelouch's eyes narrowd in appreciation. "Now you're getting it." She smiled nervously and climbed on the bed again, feeling Lelouch's eyes on her bottom as she did. She laid down again, arranging a few pillows under her head, and placed her hands, clasped together, against he headboard. Lelouch grabbed the fluffy pink belt and knelt on the bed by the headboard, wrapping it once around her hands and the bar of the headboard, then tying it in a knot. Kallen's breathing increased in pace.

"Could you use your Geass to make me less nervous?" she asked.

"I could, but I'd risk destroying your personality. If I gave you the order, 'Don't be nervous,' you'd be less nervous, but not just with me, with everything. I'd have to carefully word it. And my brain does not have dibs on the blood supply at the moment. If it does get too intense for you, I want you to say something for me. Say my middle name, and I'll freeze. This is for you, too." Lelouch grabbed the long-sleeve t-shirt, and gripped it by the neck, slipping it carefully over the top of Kallen's head until it covered her eyes, then tied it carefully at the side of her head. Laying her head down again, Kallen took a deep breath, soaking in the experience of being unable to see Lelouch, despite him being right in front of her. His body suddenly was on top of hers, his hips between her legs. He grabbed her ankle, holding it up slightly.

"I do like these heels," he said, his other hand touching her chest softly.

"Milly said they were great," Kallen said in explanation. "I'm forced to say that they do contribute to the general atmosphere." Lelouch chuckled and let go of her ankle. His lips touched hers, and she kissed him back.

"I wonder where the camera is," Lelouch whispered between kisses. Kallen's anger rose unexpectedly.

"Don't. You. Dare." Lelouch chuckled again and kissed her again, his mouth opening. Kallen's mouth opened to invite him in, and their breath and tongues met. She felt his thickness against her belly. "Lelouch," she begged into his mouth, breathlessly.

"Yes Kallen? Did you want something?" he was teasing her, she noted with irritation.

"Yes, you. Please!" she begged, wrapping a thigh around his waist. A hand gripped the thigh in question, but didn't move it, rubbing it with his hand.

"Say the words, Kallen," Lelouch ordered. Kallen moaned in desperation.

"I want you to make love to me, Lelouch, please!"

"Not good enough, Kallen," Lelouch said, and he began to kiss her chest. "You know the words Kallen. They're screaming in your brain, ready to be unleashed."

"Stop teasing me!" she cried.

"Make me, Kallen." he said, his voice a deep growl.

"Lelouch, I want you to fuck me!" he was inside her bt the end of her cry, and she threw her head back at his entrance, mewling. Lelouch's lips and teeth were on her neck as me moved back and forth inside her. Kallen was trapped by the power of sensation. Being unable to see had enhanced her other senses, and it increased her pleasure almost to the point that she couldn't resist. She stretched, her back arching, and wrapped her other leg around him as he moved in her.

"Oh god, yes!" she began to cry as his hands and lips and thickness assaulted her body with pleasure. She felt her body trying desperately to finish around him. "Don't stop!" she begged. His hands and lips came away, and the angle of his thrust in her changed, causing even more intensity of feeling in the bottom of her belly.

"Come, baby," Lelouch's voice whispered breathlessly, "scream for me." Kallen's body granted his request, sending a spasm through her as the knot inside of her exploded. Lelouch grunted in unison with Kallen's scream, and she felt heat spread through her inner body. Lelouch collapsed on top of her, his head on her shoulder. Breathing heavily, she leaned her head so it was pressed to the top of his. She felt a hand working on the knot on the side of her head, and he pulled the shirt off of her head.

"That was pretty good," she said breathlessly. Lelouch gave a breathy chuckle.

"Not bad at all," Lelouch said in exhaustion. "though you didn't use your hands that well." Kallen scowled at the joke.

"That's not funny," she said, irritated. Lelouch's arm went over her head and loosened the knot on her hands. She dropped them down around his neck.

"Sayoko got some pills for you," Lelouch said. "They're in the top drawer of you bedside table."

"Thank you," Kallen sighed. "I don't really need a pregnancy."

"Especially when you're a fugitive," Lelouch added. "You've got it fairly easy in terms of running from the law. I had to go underground to evade detection. Even in China."

Kallen snuggled up closer to him. A thought occurred to her.

"How many times did you think of her when you were locked up?"

"Euphemia? More often than I care to admit in bed with another woman. But she always wound up in my head at some point whenever I felt lonely." Lelouch looked up at her eyes. She smiled sweetly.

"I'm not jealous. I'm here to help you," she reminded him. He smiled himself.

"Thank you Kallen."


	7. Turn 07

**The Black Knight**

 **Turn 07 Arrivals**

Disclaimer: non-profit, support the official stuff! Also. French-style bacon is code for the non-existent nation of CANADA-style bacon. Britannia owns the North American continent, remember? Just one more odd factoid about the world of Code Geass, that makes it a pain in the ass to write.

 **Story is officially finished being written, and is now being edited. BUT it will be seventeen chapters, all at least eight pages long. So you know...enjoy! Please remember to review! btw, to answer a certain reviewer...honestly I was just thinking that we didn't exactly see what she was doing while Lelouch was occupied, so idk, maybe he slipped her a roofie, for all I actually know. I just put this stuff to paper, they're the ones living this, go ask her! thanks for the reviews!**

Kallen and Lelouch headed down to breakfast, dressed in jeans and shirts. Kallen wore her usual variety of a simple tee, Lelouch's was a black buttoned shirt, tucking into his darker jeans. The table was dominated by a trio of large boxes from pizza hut, with Milly and C eating the pieces, the cheese still stringy it was so fresh. Kallen ran over, excited. Sayoko welcomed her with a smile as she sat down, plates in hand. She handed one to Kallen and they began to hand the italian pie around.

Lelouch just stared in annoyance.

"You've been here all of six hours and you've already ordered three pizzas," he said, talking to the green-haired witch.

"Milly offered," C replied.

"You don't like pizza?" Kallen asked, surprised.

"No, I think it's disgusting," Lelouch said. "And after five years with that," he gestured at C, who's lower jaw was caked with cheese and sauce, "you'd think so too."

"We have french-style bacon pizza," Milly offered. Lelouch just stared at her with a blank face.

"This never happened," Lelouch said as he grabbed a piece, devouring it quickly.

0.0.0

"A hadron cannon, eh? Britannian's haven't been able to crack that tech at the size of a Knightmare," Lloyd said from his seat at the desk, intrigued. "Sounds like our little terrorist has someone with a good mind working for him." Suzaku frowned at Lloyd's attitude.

"It just makes him all the more dangerous. To have a Knightmare Frame that can fight on par with my Lancelot... It's dangerous," Suzaku said, his voice burning with the sense of justice.

"It was just a prototype," Lloyd replied, dismissively. "The beginning of a new generation of Knightmare Frames."

"Can you build it?" Suzaku asked, suddenly anxious. Lloyd just eyed him over his shoulder, a coy smile on his face.

"Maybe with help of your new patron, we can, Suzaku."

0.0.0

Lelouch said down, watching the fire. The Lancelot and its pilot were a problem. Even if the Knights of the Rounds weren't able to get to him on time, the Lancelot was always near the military district. And it was Suzaku. His ancient friend had seemed to have forgotten Lelouch, but Lelouch hadn't forgotten Suzaku. Suzaku had just been eight when he'd been brought to the court, Lelouch already a knight at 14. Lelouch was not expected to befriend the young boy. There Lelouch had met Kyoshiro Tohdoh, the boy's trainer and teacher. The boy had a pure heart, unlike his father, Japan's Ambassador to Japan, before it was conquered. To defeat Suzaku without killing him, that would be nearly impossible with the white Knightmare Frame.

Then the children of Charles zi Britannia. Odysseus and Schneizel. Guinevere and Cornelia. Lelouch considered all of the plans, and the backups, that he'd worked on as he had prepared in India. Cornelia's was the most dangerous. It risked capture and death. Schneizel's would be the most difficult. Schneizel had been a commander before Cornelia, and still commanded a legion of his own, including the largest number of Knights besides Cornelia and Charles. And Schneizel rivaled Lelouch himself in intellect, and ruthlessness. Lelouch was jerked from his train of thought by the words 'Chinese Empress Tianzi,' emitted by the TV.

"Tianzi!" Lelouch shouted, suddenly realizing an opportunity.

"What the hell, Lelouch?" Kallen said, choking. He looked to see her with a piece of half-eaten pizza in her hand, spitting something into a napkin.

"If Tianzi is here, we can strike now." he stood and ran to the elevator, slamming his hand down on the button, whipping out his cell phone.

0.0.0

Villeta entered the office of the Knight-Commander, a folder in her hand. Jeremiah looked up from having his head in his hands, sighing.

"I've got something," the dark-skinned Knight said, her purple outfit rustling as she set the folder down. "The prince Lelouch vi Britannia was sent to this college, institute, whatever, just a week after his mother's death in an assassination," Villeta said, flipping through pages of the folder.

"The Lady Marianne 'The Flash'," Jeremiah said, picking up her photo. "I know all about Marianne, and Lelouch. His little sister was crippled in the attempt."

"How did you know about The Flash?" Villeta asked. Jeremiah sighed, sitting back.

"Because, I was there," Jeremiah said. "Just a simple Knight of Service, before my career took off and I was promoted to Knight of Honor. But I was Lady Marianne's bodyguard, and I wasn't fast enough. After I was sent away to war. I still bear that dishonor, even if it is not spoken of."

"Yes, but this Lelouch was claimed to have been killed in the resistance five years ago. But, the official body count never matched. A few went missing," Villeta said.

"You think that Lelouch vi Britannia is Zero? A Prince of the Royal Family, turned terrorist?"

"The coroner suggested a high-power hypnosis. What if Zero is using him?"

"Where is he then, Villeta? If Lelouch escaped he'd be plastered all over the news the moment he stepped in front of a camera." Jeremiah shook his head, returning to his computer wearily. Villeta sighed and returned to her desk. "But," came Jeremiah's voice, and Villeta looked back over to him. "Lelouch was a prodigy. And knighted at fourteen, the same as Cornelia." Fourteen was an absurdly young age to be knighted, clearly marking the two as gifted in the regard of Knightmare Piloting and strength of arms. "And as brilliant as Schneizel. He could disappear. After five years in a prison, and a genius? He could've crossed the globe if he wanted and not be seen." Jeremiah did the math in his head. "He'd be almost thirty this very day. It's a start, Villeta. Good work." Villeta smiled, beginning to type furiously into her computer, just as fast as Jeremiah.

0.0.0

The large Chinese Airship looked more blimp than mobile air-fortress. With its construction suggesting a long red balloon, it was in fact a solid metal structure, the entire thing a skyward castle, built to withstand any siege. The large lanterns that seemed to light the ship were in fact part of a sophisticated system of float devices, large energy fields that condensed the air enough to support the craft from above and below.

Inside its hangars, dozens of Gun-Ru, China's mass-produced Knightmare Frames, stood by their leader, the blue and gold Knightmare Frame Shen Hu. Its pilot stood before it, supervising the guard's ritualized morning readiness exercises. Li Xingke, the Slayer of the Usurpers. His black hair hung past his waist, his golden eyes sharp as the hawk's eyes they resembled. He narrowed his eyes at the open door, from which the sound of rotors was beginning to grow. He gestured with a slashing motion, and the guards dispersed.

The Britannian twin-rotor helicopter entered the hold of the airship slowly, carefully. Li Xingke gritted his teeth and gave a short cough, then wiped his mouth of the trickle of blood that had emerged. Blessed by the heavens twice, but cursed once. Li Xingke was the bright candle, a prodigy, and exalted as such by all far and wide, but one with the curse of a short life. Xingke narrowed his eyes again as the helicopter landed.

When the rotors stopped, the Prime Minister of Britannia emerged, smiling and waving at the guards, as if he was why they were here. Odysseus zi Britannia. A useless man, and worse, a useless man in a position of authority. Xingke bitterly remembered the wedding to the beloved Empress of China on the tiny girl's twelfth birthday, just four years ago. And the most disgusting thing yet to come. Tianzi had been forced to come by Britannia's threats upon her flowering as a woman. _Barely a woman, honor-less bastards,_ Xingke had thought, and still did. Odysseus had come to perform his husbandly duties, as the aristocracy had said. If such a weak man could perform such duties. As Odysseus approached Xingke the commander swallowed his bile.

"You could have waited until we landed, First Prince," Xingke announced. "Our fuel reserves shall need replenishment. Your call was of short notice."

"Ah," the bearded prince said, nervously. "We apologize."

"The empress is still asleep. Her journey has tired her. After we land we shall make arrangements for her to see you," Xingke said annoyed. "Until then, we can provide a place for you to wait or you can leave, as you so wish."

"We will wait with your permission," Odysseus said, stuttering at the imposing warrior before him. Xingke turned, smirking in some satisfaction. Suddenly his cell phone vibrated inside his waist coat. Xingke stopped. He looked over his shoulder. "Excuse me," he said, and answered the phone.

 _'I'll be visiting Tianzi. Don't worry, Odysseus won't live to put a grandson on the throne of China,"_ came a familiar voice.

" _Black dragon,"_ Xingke said in Chinese, _"your call is most timely. Our landing shall commence in one hour. Will you come directly?"_

 _'Too many eyes in this city as is,'_ the voice replied in Chinese, _'we will send you a location and time.'_ Xingke closed the phone and nodded at the prince. Only a little more time putting up with this worm, thought the Chinese commander.

0.0.0

Lelouch closed his phone and looked at Kallen's staring face. He gave her an annoyed questioning look. She blinked and asked the obvious.

"You speak Chinese?"

"Wouldn't get far in life in China without," Lelouch replied. When Kallen didn't ask anymore questions Lelouch laid down on the couch, his head in her lap. "Now if only we had something for you to wear meeting an Empress." As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Lelouch nodded up to Kallen and stood in a smooth motion, striding to the door. He opened it to reveal Venus, a large white box in hand.

"Oh hello Lelouch. I hope I'm not interrupting," the older woman said, smiling at him.

"In fact we were suddenly in need of your lovely work," Lelouch said, bowing and gesturing the woman into the room. She set down the box on the table near the entrance, and lifted off the lid carefully.

"Yours was so beautiful as a Britannia-style ball gown, and since you were half-Japanese I couldn't resist also making a Kimono for you. The white was an interesting choice. It was quite fun to match some colors for you," Venus told Kallen. She looked at Lelouch. "Handy that I started it after you called and asked for one in addition to the gown." Lelouch saw Kallen's eyes boring into him, bemused and he shrugged in a 'who, me?' shrug.

Venus pulled a white gown with blue trim and various pink bows on it near where cleavage and waist would be when she was wearing it. Lelouch leaned in and pulled a much more straight garment, a kimono with a fire-like print in pink and a white obi with white lace upon it.

"Not traditional, but it'll turn heads," Venus promised, smiling as she set the gown back into the box carefully. She leaned into Kallen's ear. "And it's got some naughtier undergarments underneath all that paper, for special occasions," Venus whispered.

"Ah, you do build wonderful wardrobes," Lelouch complimented, folding the kimono back so it would fit the box.

"I don't know how to wear a kimono," Kallen admitted, splaying her hands out in a shrug.

"I do, I'll teach you," Lelouch said.

"How the hell do you know how to do that? How many women have you slept with before me?" Kallen asked, in disbelieving exasperation.

"Two, smart ass. And I was trapped in Japan for a year undercover, with hair past my waist. Do the math," Lelouch said in very loud irritation. Kallen immediately thought of Lelouch in drag and began to choke, under Lelouch's angry glare and Venus's bemused eye. Lelouch stepped by them, on his way up the stairs.

0.0.0

Euphemia was reading in her room, sitting in a large stuffed chair. The black phone she'd gotten from Lelouch rang. Euphemia picked it up to see his name displayed on the small screen. She flipped it open and accepted the call.

"Yes Lelouch?" she said cheerfully.

'I just wanted to talk to you again,' Lelouch's voice said through the phone. 'I'm,' the voice paused. 'You know that people will die, Euphemia. Some of them close to you. I don't want to hurt you, but I may need to.'

"You called to ask if I had doubts about keeping your secret," she said softly. Lelouch didn't deny it. She frowned.

'I can't reconcile what I know you're like, with what I'm doing. I don't understand how you can't have doubts about me,' Lelouch admitted, somber.

"You're working for a cause. I don't agree with the means, but I can respect your desire for the ends. And you were right. It's not right," Euphemia said, her voice suddenly surging with confidence. Lelouch was silent, and Euphemia was worried it had disconnected.

'I'm remembering why I wanted you to begin with,' her prince said. She could tell how he was smiling even through the phone. 'I wish you were here, even if it might be more awkward than it is now. Maybe we can arrange visits.' Euphie smiled, blushing to herself.

"Maybe," she agreed.

'I have to go. I'll call again and we'll see about those visits,' Lelouch said.

"I love you," she said. The line paused.

'I love you, too,' Lelouch admitted, chuckling. 'Funny, after what I'd been through, I never thought I'd love again. I'm glad those feelings are still well alive inside me. Talk to you later.' the line clicked, and Euphie closed the phone, smiling widely to herself.

0.0.0

Lelouch closed the phone and noticed Kallen standing on the ground floor out of the corner of his eye as he sat at the top of the stairs. She walked to the base of the stairs, placing a hand on the wooden stair rail. He frowned at her somber expression.

"You do love her," Kallen said, her eyes closed in sorrow.

"I do. But I love you too," He said, his eyes lidded in sadness.

"But you can't have it both ways," she told him, speaking aloud what Lelouch had known since he'd invited Euphemia into his life as Zero.

"Not any way I could bear forcing on either of you," Lelouch said. "Trying to love both of you at the same time, in reality I'd just be trying to please myself. I'll have to give up on one of you," Lelouch declared, standing slowly, "and it'll break one of you."

"I said it was to help you. Only now I realize I was being selfish too," Kallen said, looking up into his eyes, tears welling up in her sapphire orbs. "And I can't bear the pain any longer. I'll help you, but only as your friend, Lelouch." Lelouch nodded, understanding.

"I never really told you why I wore that mask," Lelouch said, stepping down to talk to her face-to-face, "it was to conceal my identity, and also my humanity. Underneath that mask, there's no face. No handsome features. No flesh. Underneath that mask is an idea. A symbol." With his finishing his speech, his eyes turned red with his Geass.

"No, Lelouch! Not like that!" Kallen shouted, but it was too late.

"I, Lelouch vi Britannia command you, forget your love of me!" As he spoke, he waved his hand dramatically over his eyes, then threw the arm off to his side, fingers splayed open. Her eyes tinted red, and she smiled, her sadness forgotten.

"I'm glad we're friends, Lelouch," she said, cocking her head sideways. He smiled, friendly.

"I'm thankful for your friendship too, Kallen," he replied. She nodded and headed upstairs. "Sayoko will help with your kimono," he called after her. "We leave in two hours." As he walked down the stairs, a single tear escaped his right eye. He walked down the stairs and into the nearby elevator. The trip was so automatic Lelouch only had one thought on his mind. He stepped up to the mannequin wearing his Zero costume, encased in glass, the emotionless visored helmet starting back at him. Screaming in rage, he punched through the glass, knocking the mannequin over, the helmet rolling across the floor.

Tohdoh and Milly emerged from working on something, alerted by the noise. Lelouch's hand found his sword and he drew it, crying. He couldn't even slash anything, merely gesturing with the sword as he wordlessly raged against the loss. Finally he threw it down, and sank into the chair of his computer banks, leaning back. Milly knelt down between his legs, her hand on his knee in concern.

"What's wrong Lelouch?" she asked, leaning her head sideways. Lelouch just looked down at her, breathing heavily through his nose. He sniffed and wiped his eyes with one hand.

"I used my Geass on Kallen," he finally told her, sitting back in his chair, setting his arms on the rests. "To make her forget. Loving me." Milly's eyes widened in realization, then moved to sympathy.

"Lelouch, I'm sorry," she offered, reaching up to hold his shoulder. He nodded, placing a hand on top of the one on her shoulder. He cleared his throat, his tears still flowing.

"Uh, Tohdoh," he said, and the samurai stepped forward, "We're meeting Xingke. Kallen is coming along with us. But you'd better make a call. The Black Knights are going to be needed. Britannia will be shocked after our actions today." Lelouch leaned his head back, wiping his eyes once again, and let out a sigh as the samurai moved purposefully, leaving him and Milly alone. Milly stood.

"Do you need anything?" she asked. He began to spin in his chair, slowly.

"Just your continued friendship and support, Milly." When Milly nodded, somewhat disappointed, and began to walk away, Lelouch continued. "Milly," Lelouch said, making her look over her shoulder as he spoke, "I never thanked you for what you've done for us. Between the arranged wedding and moving away from the Tokyo settlement, to letting us use your home like a base. Thank you." Milly smiled over her shoulder at Lelouch.

"It's okay," she said. "Maybe after we're done I can do what I want." Lelouch smiled and nodded, still spinning. He glanced at the helmet. Milly passed C as she walked towards Lelouch.

"The power of the king," Lelouch intoned, reminded of their contract, "will doom me to a life of solitude." C merely watched the warlock. "Those were your words, witch. Of course you knew they were true for you. Seems they had the opposite effect on me. You couldn't tell what was true love, and I can't avoid it."

"The power of Geass. Significant pain is required to change the world with it, Lelouch," the witch told him in her usual monotone.

"You never experience it, though," Lelouch challenged angrily. "You merely observe and accumulate experience. You don't live, C."

"I don't have to take this abuse from you," C said, turning in irritation.

"Don't you turn your back on me, witch!" Lelouch shouted. "Not after what you've done to me." C stopped in her tracks. Lelouch watched her back with narrow eyes. "You," he said, continuing, "You merely gave us those contracts to see if any of us could offer you the escape you wanted. You chose to run from life, rather than live it." She gave him an angry look over her shoulder.

"My act of cowardice has saved your life more times than you care to admit," she countered.

"You gave me a more effective weapon," Lelouch countered. "I could achieve what I've done without it. We both know that."

"You lack of gratitude is noted," C said, turning to walk away.

"Show me why you want to die then, witch." C stopped again, then whirled on him, walking quickly up to him, placing her palm on his forehead.

c.c.c

They stood in a room of gears, Lelouch in his Zero uniform, helmet-less, C in her straight-jacket. As the gears turned, experiences flashed by as soundwaves. Thousands of years seemed to vibrate the very air. Time had no meaning here, and space was a plaything.

"This is my mind after so long, Lelouch," the witch said. Lelouch merely frowned.

"But this isn't how you observe us. This is," he said, and with a wave of his hand the image changed to them standing among a giant crowd of people talking, living, ignoring them. "They just pass you by, and you let them. You're merely a leaf in the tornado, just following the wind."

"You...you navigated through my mind. In this state," C said, shocked. "You can fulfill my contract! Do it, now!" Lelouch grimaced in disgust.

"I will not," Lelouch said. "Not as you are. I made a contract with you, that I wouldn't let you die unhappy. You accepted." he snapped his fingers.

c.c.c

C jerked away from Lelouch, gasping. She stared at him in shock.

"Your Geass has progressed far enough for you to affect others without commanding them, hasn't it?" she asked, breathless.

"It has," Lelouch said, uninterested. C dropped to her knees, hands folded.

"Kill me!" she begged, whimpering. "You can do it now! Take my code! You'll be able to accomplish your goals without any assistance!" Lelouch stood, looking down at her. He stepped past her. "Lelouch!"

"No," Lelouch said, stripping off his shirt. "I told you. You'll die happy. Not before. I owe you that much gratitude, at least. We're meeting Xingke. If you're coming, find something more appropriate to wear." he began to change, and C stood up, quivering.

"I don't care how I die," she said. "I don't want to live anymore." She looked at Lelouch, and he turned to face her, impassive. "When life itself causes you unhappiness, how am I supposed to die happy?" Lelouch stalked towards her and picked her up beneath her arms, slamming her against the wall, then kissing her, passionately. C couldn't stop her own response.

"You remember this," Lelouch hissed, breaking the contact. He dropped her and backed away a step. "We were both prisoners. Then we became partners, then lovers. You were almost content in that hell. Then I was free, and you were alone again. But you weren't even trying to find the good, you were just waiting for it to turn bad again." C looked away. "That's why I won't kill you."

"That's happiness?" C asked, irritated, not looking at Lelouch.

"No. You saw only the bad in the future, until you stopped looking. That's why you'll always be unhappy." Lelouch turned and began to dress. "Until you decide to look at the sky with hope again."

"But the future can be better or worse." Lelouch, now dressed in his suit and cloak, turned back to smile at C, pulling a glove tight.

"Life is about not letting negatives affect you," he declared. "The future is hope."

0.0.0

The limo approached the air-port for the large airship. A pair of Chinese guards stopped the long black vehicle. When they peered into a open window that revealed the back, they gestured the vehicle on. Kallen began to straighten the folds what were starting to appear in her kimono from sitting for so long. Zero sat in the very back, his legs crossed. C glared at him from across the back of the limo. Kyoshiro Tohdoh and Ohgi sat in front, Ohgi driving.

Xingke was there to greet them as they stopped before the ramp to enter the massive airship. The Chinese commander aided Kallen out first, then C, who merely glanced at the man.

"Zero," Xingke greeted solemnly. "The Prime Minister has returned to his residence after being told to expect Tianzi to arrive there."

" _I'm glad that my adopted sister will not need to leave the ship,"_ Zero said, shaking Xingke's hand, _"I'd like to visit her quickly before we commence."_

0.0.0

Kallen walked alongside Zero as they made their way through the large ship. Kallen was entranced as they entered a large room dominated by a golden throne. A fourteen-year old girl sat the large throne, her silver hair and pink eyes making her seem somehow more adorable, and more wise than she seemed. Zero approached and bowed.

"Do I know you?" the girl asked, confused. Zero reached up and removed his helmet, showing the girl his face. " _Long!_ " she ran over as Lelouch knelt, throwing his arms wide. She jumped into his arms as he laughed, picking her up.

"How have you been, Tianzi?" Lelouch asked, smiling widely as the girl giggled in his arms.

"I've been good, _Long_ , but I've missed you. Xingke has been helping me to rule like you hoped I would though!" Lelouch nodded, smiling. Kallen peeked at Xingke to see the man's iron mask had broken into a thin smile.

"Would you like to meet a friend of mine?" Lelouch asked. Tianzi nodded, smiling, and Lelouch carried her over to Kallen.

"This is Kallen. Kallen, this is Empress of China, Tianzi, and my adopted sister." Tianzi offered a hand from around Lelouch's neck, and Kallen took it, smiling.

"Hello, Kallen," the tiny empress said. "But Lelouch, are you here because of my husband?" Kallen couldn't believe the words coming out so innocently from the girl.

"I have. I'm going to make sure you don't have to be married to him anymore," Lelouch promised, setting the tiny girl down.

" _Long?_ " Kallen asked, leaning in, smiling sweetly.

"It's Chinese for dragon. Long story," Lelouch said, not really explaining anything. "No pun intended. I just wanted to see how you were," Lelouch told the empress again. "I haven't seen you since I left for India."

"I know," Tianzi said, excited. "I'm glad you came to see me?

Odysseus was pacing nervously. The marriage was not his idea, and he didn't relish the chance to do his duty to his wife. The girl was so young. And Chinese. Who knew what queer customs they had, Odysseus thought. An assistant poked his head through the door.

"My Prince, the empress has arrived." Odysseus nodded, turning away. When he turned back around, a tall man in a black cape and helmet stood in his room.

"Who are you?" Odysseus shouted in alarm, suddenly. The assistant entered the room, asking what was wrong.

" _He's just nervous,"_ the stranger said. _"Leave us."_ The servant bowed and left. _"Odysseus zi Britannia. You've been an over-important pawn of your father since you were old enough to play chess. Put a Britannian prince on the throne of China?"_

"Where is the Empress?" Odysseus demanded angrily. The figure took a quick step towards Odysseus and punched him in the face, knocking the older man on his bottom.

" _Oh when, when will I ever see my dear Lenore? Quoth the raven, nevermore."_ Odysseus looked up at the figure in confusion as he began to search the room. _"Edgar Allen Poe. I forgot, you were never much for poetry. But having your younger brother whipped for your mistakes, that you didn't object to."_

"What?" Odysseus asked, his eyes widening. "How did you know about that?" The figure turned to face the older prince and slipped off his helmet. Lelouch vi Britannia stared down at his younger brother, his face a mask of anger.

"You tried to win by cheating. And when I caught you, you had Schneizel have me lashed. Fool's Gold Prince." Odysseus began to back away, now terrified of his younger brother. Lelouch drew a pistol as Odysseus began to scream for help. "Oh don't worry, I made sure our meeting will remain private."

"Oh please Lelouch! Have mercy!" Odysseus screamed as Lelouch put the helmet back on.

" _Quoth the raven, nevermore."_

0.0.0

Euphemia entered the Belial Palace, anger at Odysseus's marriage showing in her face as she entered his residence. She jumped at the gunshot and ran up to the room it had emerged from. Barging in, she saw a black cape and Odysseus's form laying on the floor. Zero's mask looked over the cloak's shoulder to look at her.

"Did you kill him?"

" _He fainted when I aimed it at him. It was blanks."_ Zero lowered the pistol, bemused, as Euphemia checked her oldest half-brother. _"No wonder his only marriage is an arranged one. He couldn't handle a woman his own age."_ Euphemia gave Lelouch/Zero an annoyed glare.

"What are you going to do? He'll remember you." Lelouch calmly walked over and knelt beside Odysseus, holding open an eye.

" _Look away, Euphie," Z_ ero ordered, and Euphemia turned her head. She heard his helmet click, and then the command. _"Zero is the ghost of your sins. From now on you will hear his voice in your head, forever."_ she heard a click, then, _"He won't be believed. Have his servants move him to another room. We should consider making use of this bed our brother's arranged for us."_ She hurried and ordered the first prince moved to another room. When they had carried him out, Lelouch removed his purple-visored helmet.

"Before you ask, it's a power I gained after I was sent from the palace. While I'm using it, anybody who sees my eyes must follow my verbal commands. Even against their will," Lelouch said, explaining as he undid his cloak. "I like your dress." Euphemia looked down. She'd put on a very simple light pink dress, almost white. She stepped up slowly to Lelouch as he set down his helmet and cape, then looked back up into her eyes. His hands were on her waist before she knew it, and her hands went to his biceps, just above his elbow. She leaned into him, breathing in his scent. His lips met hers halfway, and something in Euphemia was jolted alive as they kissed. This should've happened almost eight years ago. They should've been allowed this. Euphemia wanted to curse fate for denying her.

"Lelouch, can you help me out of this dress please?" she asked, moaning. Lelouch quickly reached behind her, undoing the few laces that there were, before Euphie began to try to lift it. Lelouch bent down and helped her slip the dress off, leaving her in a silk slip.

"Too many damn clothes," Lelouch growled. Euphie giggled at his comment as his mouth found her neck. "I think we need to remove all of them."

"That includes yours, Lelouch." Lelouch nodded and removed his scarf, jacket, and buttoned shirt in two moves, wrapping his naked arms around her. "How's your back?" she suddenly asked, feeling.

"I had surgery to have them made less disfiguring. I couldn't sleep the same with them. I still feel them sometimes," Lelouch said. "less clothes," he reminded herself, moving the slip over Euphemia's head, leaving her in just a pink pair of lacy panties. Euphemia kicked out of her high-heeled shoes as Lelouch pushed her backwards until the back of her legs touched the edge of the bed. Lelouch's lips were against hers as he sat her down on the bed, his fingers reaching inside her panties. He began to slide them excruciatingly slowly down her legs. She reached down to try to get them off quicker, when his hands stopped her.

"This is our first time," Lelouch said, quietly, "it has to be special."

"That doesn't mean slow," Euphie complained, her sweet voice almost making it seem like whining. Lelouch smiled and slid her underwear the rest of the way off. Euphie shot her hands out and began to undo his pants, and lowered them. Lelouch helped her as he stepped out of his boots, leaving him to step barefoot out of his pants and boxers. He pushed her to lay down as he laid on top of her. When their bodies pressed together on the bed, Euphemia felt how matched they were to each other. The kissed again, his arms slipping underneath her, around her own arms, almost protecting her from anything outside of each other. "How long I've wanted this, Lelouch," Euphemia said with a joyous smile, tears of joy welling up in her eyes. "What god did we anger to force us to be apart?" Lelouch smiled down at her, his eyes simmering as they stared into hers.

"If a god did do this to us, I'll kill that god and we'll be together for eternity," Lelouch replied. They seemed to stay like that for hours, even though it felt like minutes, absorbing each other. "Get further up on the bed so we can finish this," Lelouch said, his breath a stroking feather on Euphemia's neck. She moved up on the large bed, Lelouch following her, and he sank into her, reaching down. Euphemia put a leg around her lover as they joined. Euphemia arched her back and threw her head up, mouth open, at the feeling of them becoming whole.

"Lelouch," she whispered. Her body sang as she felt him. "oh please be gentle, I haven't been with a man like this." He began to move, his arms around her convulsing body. She gripped onto his back, holding on to her prince. Euphemia's moaning was a song in Lelouch's ears as he moved with her. They matched better than Lelouch would've thought in bed. His hand found her chest, pleasuring her with his hand as well as his lower body.

"Lelouch," his princess said between gasps and moans, "I can't hold on, please don't stop!" Lelouch leaned into her as he continued, kissing her. She threw an arm around his neck as she threw her head back, screaming silently, then moaning as her inner muscles tightened around him. Lelouch's body froze as he felt his essence leave him and enter Euphemia. He echoed her silent scream, his eyes closing in his climax. He collapsed to lay partially on top and partially to the side of her as his body stopped seizing, his eyes and hers meeting. Euphemia's hands began to stroke the back of his hair as she wept in joy and relief. His hand reached up and wiped her tears away as she smiled.

"You're beautiful," Lelouch said, feeling it somehow redundant to tell her. She leaned into his hand on her face, smiling even wider.

"You're more so than I," Euphemia argued. Lelouch grinned at her comment.

"Your silly poetry again," Lelouch said, stroking her face.

"I don't want to leave," Euphemia said. "Because after this we may not be able to see each other for a few days or so."

"You could leave with me," Lelouch offered. "I could always kidnap you and threaten to kill you. I doubt they'd be able to move on me then." Euphemia realized he wasn't entirely joking.

"Let's not. But if I give you a call and we'll set something up."

"If it helps I can sneak into the palace anytime I want," Lelouch offered.

"I was thinking your house." Lelouch's brow furrowed and he frowned.

"I don't own a building in this city, actually. I'm living with a friend. It's a big house, plenty of rooms. Just not mine. I never wanted to buy one of mine. It just felt...like I was forgetting what I meant to do. We need to get dressed," he said, standing from the bed.

0.0.0

Zero watched Euphemia leave from the upper window, careful that he wasn't seen. _'Don't look back,'_ Lelouch had told her. When she got in her car and drove away, Lelouch smiled and drew his pistol. Stepping across the hall, he entered and watched Odysseus sleep. He'd made sure Euphemia would believe that he'd spared the older prince. But Lelouch wasn't that merciful. Odysseus had been incompetent, and allowed the same prejudice that the other more powerful people had performed on the masses. He slid off one of Odysseus's gloves and placed the pistol in his hand, then had him place the pistol to his temple. He carefully manipulated Odysseus's hand, and the pistol fired.

0.0.0

Lelouch walked into his sanctum. Kallen, Tohdoh and C were with Xingke and Tianzi. As he sat down on the throne, he removed his helmet, wiping the sweat from his forehead, exhausted. He leaned back, sighing. Then he thought of what had happened to him, and what he'd seen in Japan under the heel of the Britannian colonists. His face hardened.

He opened his cloak from around his shoulders, pulling his cell phone out. He quickly texted Tohdoh and Kallen his location and situation. He smelled himself, realizing he still smelled of sweat and Euphemia. He needed a bath. Maybe with her.

He saw Milly enter in the corner of his eye. He leaned his head against the throne as he turned his head to watch her. She gave him a small smile. He returned it.

"So," Milly asked, "What are you going to do about Kallen?"

"I don't know yet," admitted Lelouch. "I think she'd like to help. She's no black knight, though."

"She could be," Milly replied, pulling over a chair. "With Kyoshiro and Xingke here, she could be taught."

"She would want to," Lelouch said. "I'll offer her the chance tonight." Lelouch pulled his cell phone. Milly smiled widely.

"So she'll be a black knight?"


	8. Turn 08

**The Black Knight**

Disclaimer: C: the following is a non-profit fan-based fanfiction.

Lelouch (off-screen): That's it?

C: Please support the official release.

Lelouch: you are the worst disclaimer ever. Of all time.

A/N: Technical mistake: the Ganymede here is supposed to be the MR-1, but I was writing at night and I'm lazy. Non-technical, I will be uploading nine and ten together next friday from this update. So be ready to REEEAAAD and Review! Hopefully with the review part!

 **Turn 08 The Black Knights**

Kallen was sleeping when the lamp suddenly clicked on. She grimaced and peeked to see Milly standing by her bed. Kallen sat up, groaning.

"Kallen," Milly asked aloud, "Do you still want to help Lelouch? Are you willing to fight for him? For a better world?" Kallen blinked, shaking the sleep from her brain. Before she could answer, Milly stopped her with another comment. "You have to be sure, Kallen. Be sure before you answer." She remembered the torture Lelouch had inflicted on her before he told her his identity. And thought of how many had been treated like that. After a few moments, Kallen answered.

"Yes. For Lelouch, and for a better world," Kallen said, suddenly determined. Milly smiled.

"Good, get dressed and come downstairs." Kallen put on a simple outfit of jeans and socks with the t-shirt she'd been wearing. Pulling on her tennis-shoes, she noticed the large purple and pink fire in the front yard, and figures in front of it.

Milly led her downstairs and held the front door open.

"This is as far as I can go, Kallen. Good luck," Milly said, and nodded to the fire. Kallen stepped out onto the yard, walking up to the fire. As she got within talking distance, a figure stood up. It was Zero. Kallen stopped for a second, wondering what was happening.

" _Kallen, come on up,"_ Lelouch said as zero. _"You'll have enough chances to opt out. But, I can never trust you if you opt out, Kallen."_ Kallen took a deep breath and walked forward, and some of the figures stepped aside to reveal the circle of people around the large purple fire. Zero sat down on the chair he'd stood from. Ohgi stepped forward, and offered her a red headband.

"This was your brothers when we fought together," he told her, sincere. "It should belong to you." Kallen looked up at Ohgi to see the same headband around his thick hair. She accepted the headband with both hands.

" _Kallen Kozuki,"_ Zero said from his chair, Ohgi sidestepping. _"These people you see before you have dedicated their lives to overthrowing the old order of the world. We stand in the darkness, to light the future."_

"We are the black," intoned the figures around her. Kallen saw Tohdoh and Xingke were among them, as were Sayoko and many of the guards she'd met after she'd met Lelouch and Milly. With a shock, she noticed Rivalz was there as well.

" _This book,"_ Zero said, gesturing as a large black leather bound book was held up, _"Is our oath, and the covenant that I can never use my Geass to command you. Everyone who has signed it I have used my Geass on so that I can never command them again. This book augments that you have joined of your free will."_ He held up a pen. _"If you want a better world, the choice is yours. Sign, or don't."_ Kallen stepped forward as the book was opened.

"I don't know how to fight," she said, "I don't know anything about...anything," she finished, realizing how naive she was. She took the pen, remembering the girl in the prison.

" _Sign the name you wish to be known by, as part of our order."_ Kallen examined the pen, thinking about her name. She signed the book, Kallen Kozuki.

There was a cheer as the book was slammed shut, and Zero nodded. Kallen smiled, feeling intense pride. Ohgi stepped up to her side.

"Repeat after him," Ohgi whispered at her side.

" _From darkness, our blades light the way,"_ Zero said, intoning, the crowd repeating after him as he watched her repeat the vow. _"We are the shadow of the oppressed, the defenders of the weak. We are nothing and no one. We will never stop until the weak are avenged, and the corrupt destroyed. We stand in the darkness, to light the way. We are the dark mirror of the white knights of oppression. We are the Black. We are Black Knights."_ Someone held out a black uniform to Kallen, and she accepted it.

"Long live the Black Knights," Ohgi whispered, tipping her.

"Long live the Black Knights," Kallen repeated loudly. Zero nodded.

" _Xingke or Kyoshiro can teach you to fight. Now. Suzaku Kururugi has become a Knight of Britannia,"_ Zero said, sitting down.

"With that Knightmare he's too dangerous to let live," Tohdoh said, arguing from where he stood.

"I see no danger. He's gained support from the nobles and the local people. He could be made a powerful ally. His mistress is Euphemia li Britannia. She has always objected to the treatment of the numbers," Xingke argued from his location.

"And her sister is our largest threat," Tohdoh replied. "She commands the entirety of the Britannian military forces. If we kill of kidnap Euphemia, Cornelia is sure to fold." Many arguing shouts were sent up, the topic no longer merely a debate.

"What if we asked Euphemia to join us?" Kallen suddenly asked loudly, silencing the debate. Tohdoh and Xingke looked at her. Kallen instantly wanted to crawl away from their gaze.

" _Continue, Kallen,"_ Lelouch said. The light from the strange fire lit up his visor.

"If she supports the numbers, maybe she'll support our cause," Kallen argued.

"It would be difficult to ask," Xingke said, thoughtfully. "We don't officially exist. We're nothing but terrorists. China supports us, since Zero is the Empress's adopted brother, and I the Supreme Commander of her Armies. But public notice is tricky."

"A public force that works in the darkness?" Tohdoh asked angrily. "Why are we even entertaining this thought? We are meant to fight, not talk!" the debate began to rage across the large group. Kallen stepped over to Rivalz as the debate raged on.

"Hi," Kallen said, trying to hang back from the argument.

"Hi, Kallen," Rivalz said. "I'm just here as a formality. I'm the communications officer mostly. The talk show is a cover." The debate suddenly died down as Kallen saw Zero stand.

" _Kallen makes a good point. But we've seen that working inside the system doesn't produce results. However, Euphemia is also an ally of Justice. And if we move against her, Cornelia's bound to become more aggressive against us. For now we leave Euphemia alone. We have other targets that can cripple Britannia more efficiently."_

0.0.0

Ohgi led Kallen into the elevator. He pressed a button different from the one Lelouch used, and the door opened into a garage. Many cars and Knightmare Frames stood in the room. Kallen's eye was drawn to the red one in the back and she jogged over.

"That's the Guren," Ohgi called after her. "Lelouch used it in China, but I don't think he's used it since. He prefers the Raven now." Kallen heard Ohgi walk up behind her. "I bet if you asked he'd let you have it after you've trained up a little."

"Ohgi," Xingke said, drawing Kallen's attention. "We have met," he told her, "Lelouch has asked me to train you in combat. Are you any good with gun or sword?"

"Uh," Kallen said, hesitating. "Lelouch gave me the queen of throats. I've been practicing with it, but I don't know how to use it really. I know Tai Kwan Do from my older brother. I kept it up after he died." Xingke raised an eyebrow and handed Ohgi his sword. He adopted a fighting stance, and Kallen did the same, breathing. For five minutes they fought, and Xingke finally stopped her with a hand.

"You're good, but you won't beat anybody on foot like that. A Knightmare Frame would do you better," Xingke said. He gestured for her to follow, showing her an odd-looking vehicle. "This is the Ganymede. It's one of the first Knightmare Frames. It's basically just a loader now, but the controls are very good for beginners. If you master the Ganymede, you can learn any other Knightmare fairly quickly." He opened the cockpit, and gestured Kallen in. As she sat down, she took in the controls. It wasn't like a car, more like a pair of joysticks.

"Okay...where do I begin?" she asked.

0.0.0

Lelouch was waiting by the door when the doorbell rang. He stepped over and opened it. Euphemia smiled from behind her thick-rimmed glasses. Lelouch smiled and gestured for her to come in, getting a taste of her smell as she entered.

"I'm glad you were able to get away," Lelouch said. He closed the door, and leaned against it as she looked around the house. The wooden-sheathed walls weren't laden with many pictures. "It's not as impressive as the palace," Lelouch admitted.

"Actually," Euphemia said, turning round and round as she spoke, looking at everything, "I like it a lot better. This feels more like a home."

"So, this is the Princess Euphemia!" Came Milly's voice. The blonde countess was suddenly in the hallway with them, offering a hand and a smile. Rivalz came in right behind her. Lelouch rolled his eyes and growled a sigh, exasperated.

"Oh," Euphemia said. She shook Milly's hand, smiling nervously. "Hello, I wasn't really expecting to meet you just yet."

"The Princess needs some rest after an arduous journey to get here," Lelouch interrupted, corralling her down the hall. "Wasn't it arduous? Weren't they so nice, leaving us alone?" They entered the main bathroom, more of a pool room then a restroom. A medium-sized pool dominated one side with many glass windows to look outside, and a large bath built into the floor. "Sorry, I didn't mean for them to ambush you," Lelouch said.

"Oh it's fine. I'd love to meet them, just, not quite like that." Euphemia looked around, admiring the room. "What are we doing here?"

"Well, I needed a bath. I was hoping you'd take it with me," Lelouch said. Euphemia smiled and nodded. Lelouch walked over to the door and locked it.

0.0.0

Kallen manipulated the two control reins of the Ganymede, having it pick up a large crate and set it down. She sighed in boredom as she completed the task. The Ganymede seemed to read her mind as she performed the feat. Xingke and Ohgi were watching. Ohgi with shock. Xingke with thoughtful eyes.

'Very good,' Xingke admitted over the Ganymede cockpit speakers. 'Let's try something different.'

0.0.0

Lelouch was laying back in the tub, Euphemia sitting in the tub with him, sitting as though his chest was the back of her throne. Lelouch's head was thrown back, relaxing, one arm around Euphie's neck gently, holding one of her hands, the other laying on the edge of the tub. Euphemia's pink hair was tied up in a loose bun around her head. Both were naked in the water, soaking in the refreshingly hot bath.

"This is nice," Euphemia finally said, leaning back against him. Lelouch smirked to himself and looked down at the top of her head.

"The bath, or the using me like your personal chair?" he asked teasingly. She squeezed his hand, giggling softly.

"I like both," she teased. "But the bath is very nice. Almost like sleeping together, except we're awake to enjoy it." Lelouch gave a sarcastic snore. She swatted his shoulder with her other hand.

"I think Milly expects you to stay for dinner," Lelouch said, his hand moving from the edge to feel her chest underwater. She closed her eyes and sighed at the feeling, smiling.

"I think it's the least I can do," she said softly. "I am stealing one of her servants." Lelouch elicited a sharp breath from her as he gently pinched a nipple. "I like that," she admitted, her hand reaching down to caress his arm.

"I was hoping you would," Lelouch said. "I think you'll enjoy this," his hand went lower into the tub, leaning forward slightly, "better." Euphemia inhaled again, moaning softly. Lelouch lifted her up slightly, lowering his mouth to her neck. His bites and kisses merely made Euphemia even hotter. She turned her head and kissed his lips, gripping the back of his head. He cupped her breast, feeling them. Euphemia wasn't large, but he loved holding them all the same. He ran his hands down her body as they kissed, feeling the female body in the small tub with him. She turned on her side to keep kissing him, putting her ass into his hand. He stroked it and then cupped with his hand, squeezing somewhat.

Euphie broke their kiss to give a mischievous smile, then kissed him with her mouth open. He met her open mouth with his own, their tongues meeting. He began to feel his pulse coursing through his body, his manhood twitching against her hip. Her hand reached down to stroke it.

He suddenly picked her up, setting her on the edge of the tub, level with the rest of the floor. She opened her legs, showing her pinkness to him, and he stood between them, pulling her closer so that her legs hung over into the tub. He leaned over her, lowering his mouth to her breasts, her hands fingering through his hair. He entered her to her moans, grunting, once. As soon as he began to move, her legs were bending up. He moved his hands to her hips, gripping them as he loved her.

"Lelouch," she breathed, "I want to be on top of you." He looked up at her and smiled, rolling, landing on his back with a grunt. She kissed him and moved her legs so she was on her knees. As she sat up on her knees he pulled her hair from the bun it had been in, framing her body as she began to move on top of him. He exhaled at the sensation of being inside her. His hands held her hips, squeezing.

"You're beautiful like this, Euphie," he said, exhaling. She was so absorbed in her pleasure she didn't reply, her eyes closed, mouth open as she rode him. He began to meet her thrusts, increasing their pleasure until they were both moaning loudly, her hands splayed out on his chest. He reached up to pleasure her chest, another hand feeling her thighs as they worked underneath his hand.

"Lelouch, I'm going to-" she suddenly came down and her back arched, and she threw her head back in a loud moan. Lelouch felt her clench around him, and he couldn't contain himself anymore, flooding his body with pleasure as he filled her. She fell atop him, her pink hair covering them both almost like a sheet. Lelouch threw his arms around her as she breathed deeply. He took a moment to control his own breathing, and he looked at her face to see her smiling.

"I've never done that before," he told her, one hand reaching up to stroke her cheek.

"Neither have I," she said.

0.0.0

Four paper targets had been set up, two on the left, two on the right, spaced far apart at the chest level of the Ganymede. Kallen began to think of how she'd reach them, how to move the reins of the Knightmare.

'Punch and destroy all four targets,' Xingke ordered. 'Go!'

Kallen pushed down the pedals, jerking the Ganymede forward, and swung the sticks. The Ganymede's fist went through the first target, and she was already working on the second, spinning the Ganymede for a reverse spin backhand. She hit the last two at the same time, punching a hole through both of them. She looked over to see Xingke and Ohgi watching in respect and surprise.

'That was less than a second, Kallen,' Xingke said, admiring. Kallen smiled, proudly. 'I'll tell Lelouch that you're the most natural Knightmare pilot I've met. You can step out now Kallen.'

0.0.0

Euphemia watched as Lelouch swam from one end of the pool to the other, then back. His back flexed as he swam, showing the thirty scars that had ripped his back to shreds. But now there were other scars on his body. She frowned at idea of what had caused all of them.

"Is there a part of your body without a scar?" she asked, concerned. Lelouch paused, then looked down at his body under the water.

"Well," Lelouch said, looking back up at her. "Just one place. To your great relief earlier." Euphemia rolled her eyes as he swam over, setting his chin on her knee, his hand trying to grab her hip. She stopped him by putting her hand in his.

"Have you used your Geass on me?" Euphemia suddenly asked. Lelouch looked up at her in surprise.

"No," Lelouch admitted, looking up into her eyes. "And I'd never want to. It changes the person I use it on. Permanently. You're perfect the way you are."

"What could you command me to do?" she asked. Lelouch growled.

"I could order you to do anything. Even if I show you my eyes with my Geass, if I even speak, those words would be the most important you'd ever heard." Euphemia gave a thoughtful look, glancing away from Lelouch. Lelouch pushed himself up and out of the water, bringing his face up to Euphemia's. "Stop thinking about it," he said. "This is for us, remember?" Euphemia began to lean into kiss him, and he leaned back, bringing her farther forward. Suddenly his arms were around her, and he jumped backwards into the pool, bringing her, screaming into the water with him.

When they surfaced, Euphemia brushed her hair back, glaring at Lelouch. He smiled his devil's grin, kissing her again. She put her hands on his chest as he spun her around. She laid her head on his shoulder, his cheek pressing against her hair.

"You killed Odysseus anyway," Euphemia said. Lelouch frowned at her statement.

"I've seen Britannians do far worse than what I did to Odysseus," Lelouch said, angrily. "You're having doubts about me. You're asking about my Geass, for instance. Would you rather I use it on you? I wouldn't be able to use it again."

"I'm jealous, actually. I was never like you or Cornelia. I'm not strong or brave. I'm supposed to be the strong-willed one. But I don't even do anything to help those that need it." Lelouch leaned back, and Euphemia looked up at him, her eyes angry and sad at the same time. "I don't even agree with your methods, and I'm jealous of you." Lelouch pulled her tighter against him, his face comforting.

"You don't need to be brave and strong to help people," he said softly. "People often just need a small act of kindness. You're a symbol, Euphemia. A symbol that I can't be. You can make people believe that someone cares about them. I always believed in you, my love." Euphemia was turned to tears at Lelouch's confession, smiling again.

"I love you, Lelouch," she said, then kissed him deeply. Lelouch ran a hand through her hair, comforting the love of his life in his arms.

"I love you more, Euphemia," he said, carrying her up the steps in the corner of the pool. Euphemia smiled again, giggling.

"No more so than I," she replied. Lelouch growled.

"Damn poetry," he said, soliciting a laugh from Euphemia as he set her on her feet. "let's head upstairs and get changed." he handed Euphemia a towel who wrapped it around her body, covering as much of herself as she could, Lelouch pulling another around his waist. He gathered up their clothes in his arms and took her hand as they walked through the sitting room, past Milly and Rivalz's looks and headed up the stairs. He opened a door into a large bedroom. Lelouch was reminded of Kallen's bedroom and he frowned.

"As stupid as it seems, that pool was loaded with chlorine," he said, sighing. "If you go take a shower, I'll get your clothes laundered for you." Euphemia saw his somber expression but didn't ask, merely nodding and stepping into the adjoining bathroom. Lelouch pulled on a pair of baggy pants and padded back downstairs.

"So...how was the bath?" Milly asked, teasingly. Lelouch gave her an irritated glare.

"She's my fiance," Lelouch said, irritated.

"Sounded like you were doing a little more than planning the wedding," Milly said, putting a thoughtful hand to her chin, smiling mischievously. Lelouch walked past her into the small laundry room. He quickly threw the clothes in the wash and added detergent, and started the machine.

"Oh geez!" came Kallen's voice. Lelouch turned to see her staring at his back. "It's amazing I didn't see them earlier!" Lelouch sighed and looked at Xingke as Kallen examined his back.

"She's surprising. She managed to master the Ganymede in an hour. I've never seen someone pick it up that fast," Xingke said. Lelouch nodded, then looked at Kallen thoughtfully.

"Give her the Guren key. If she's going to be piloting a Knightmare, it might as well be one of the best there are." Kallen went wide eyed in surprise. "You'll be paying me back when you pilot it, Kallen." Lelouch walked back up the stairs, barefoot, and entered the bedroom he'd left Euphemia in. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, toweling off her pink hair.

"You looked like you remembered something painful when you came into this room." Euphemia said, prompting. Lelouch sighed and sat down next to her.

"The girl I met. Kallen. I think she did love me. But," Lelouch struggled to find the words. Euphemia put her hand on his. "I couldn't love her and you and be fair to everybody." He looked up at Euphemia. "I used my Geass on her to make her forget being in love with me. I don't regret it. Kallen deserves as much happiness as anyone. I just don't believe it will be me." Euphemia laid her head on his shoulder, comforting.

"I think you did the right thing," Euphemia said.

"I think so too," Lelouch replied, putting his arm around her. "It'll just take me a while to realize it."

0.0.0

Later Lelouch led Euphemia down to dinner. The dining room had turned into a buffet table with ten pizzas on it. Everyone was grabbing two or three pieces and going to sit down in front of the tv. Lelouch looked back at Euphemia.

"Hope you like pizza," Lelouch said, wearily.

"I love it," Euphemia said, smiling.

"Yeah...you'll get over that hopefully," Lelouch muttered, continuing down the stairs. "What are we watching?" Milly flipped off the tv and sat up.

"So, Princess, how did you and Lelouch meet?" Milly asked with her mouthful. Lelouch groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Well...we grew up together being betrothed. We just kinda fell in love on the side," Euphemia said, startled by the questioning.

"Wow! That's so romantic!" Milly said, squealing. Lelouch quickly herded Euphemia to the pizza, grabbing a plate and as much pizza as he could stomach. Euphemia repeated his actions, browsing the pizza. As they moved back to the sitting room, Euphemia asked another question.

"What did you do in China?" she asked loudly, drawing attention to Lelouch.

"Boring!" Milly shouted before Lelouch could speak. "When were you guys going to get married? Have you picked a location."

"Is your grave available?" Lelouch asked, deadpan. Milly waved off his threat as he sat down, biting into a piece.

"No, no, I mean are you going to have a spring wedding, maybe in July? The weather would be perfect!" Milly jumped from her seat suddenly, startling Rivalz who was sitting next to her. "Oh, I know! An outside wedding!"

"In July. In Pendragon's climate? The drinks better be cold, you'll have guests dropping like flies." As Pendragon occupied the southwest of the continent, Pendragon's summers were brutal, often topping 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

"What colors were you thinking?" Milly said, ignoring Lelouch's comment.

"Uh...traditionally Imperial Weddings are white," Euphemia said, nervous.

"Stop encouraging her," Lelouch said, glaring at the blonde.

"I'm going to eat now," Euphemia said, sitting next to Lelouch.

"So, China," Lelouch began.

"Wait a minute-" Milly tried to interrupt.

"CHINA," Lelouch continued. "We'd just managed to sneak out of Japan, and we only numbered a few thousand. China at the time was ruled by the Nine High Eunuchs. Technically they merely advised the Empress, but she was still in her minority. So they ruled the country. They managed to turn their own citizens into prisoners. Only a small faction led by Xingke supported the empress. And any who spoke against the Eunuchs was killed. Then they sent their army to repel us for Britannia. Their thinking was to drown us in bodies. Their plan was predictable and easily countered.

"I'm not going to tell you the gruesome details, but eventually we were were marching on the Vermillion Forbidden City. In a panic they sued for peace. They told me how Britannia had offered them many honors and powers in their nation if they turned over China to Britannia. And we killed them. All of them. After that we left for India to prepare to come here. The rest is history."

0.0.0

Lelouch escorted Euphemia to the black car. He opened the door for her. She placed a hand on his shoulder and kissed his cheek.

"I'll be a little busy," Euphemia said, smiling. "But I'll make sure to call you before I go to bed," she promised, then kissed him. Lelouch smiled and helped her into her car, then closed the door. Lelouch waved as he watched it go.

0.0.0

Schneizel led Jeremiah Gottwald into the morgue. Jeremiah saw Odysseus on the table and sighed. The coroner walked out of his office, wiping his hands as he stepped, wearily over to meet them. Jeremiah stood straight, preparing to question the coroner.

"Was this a suicide?" Jeremiah asked, professionally.

"I've seen no evidence to indicate otherwise, except for similar cerebral scarring as Clovis. Unless it's genetic and I was wrong, I'm fairly certain this was an assassination by Zero," the coroner said. Schneizel nodded to the man, and he walked away.

"So, have you been able to come up with any suspects?" Schneizel said.

"We've begun to focus on the incident five years ago at the Institute. We believe a prisoner was freed by the resistance cell. You may know him, Prince Schneizel. One body was never recovered. Lelouch vi Britannia," Jeremiah said. He eyed Schneizel as the golden-haired prince absorbed Jeremiah's words. Schneizel merely smiled.

"A ghost. You think Zero is a ghost?" Schneizel asked, amused. Jeremiah scowled.

"The prince's body was never recovered. I believe that-" he was interrupted as Schneizel's expression turned serious. His eyes turned red, gaining red v's on top of his pupils. Frozen in place, Jeremiah stared blankly as Schneizel's Geass did its work.

"We do not have any suspects, I'm afraid, Prince Schneizel."

"I understand," Schneizel said, smiling cordially. "I'll send you the report on Odysseus's autopsy in the morning." Jeremiah nodded and left. Schneizel waited til the door closed behind Jeremiah, then drew a Britannian pistol from his white jacket. He walked into the coroner's office, still smiling.

"We thank you for your many years of service," Schneizel said before he fired.

0.0.0

Cornelia was working on some paperwork. She sighed and leaned back in her chair, stretching. She noticed her chessboard and went over to examine it. As she did, she noticed the board was different. Only one difference, but it had created a checkmate. She tried to think of who could've made that move. As she listed off those she knew, only one answer remained on her list. It was impossible.

"Lelouch?" she asked herself aloud.

"What were you saying, Cornelia?" asked a sweet voice. Cornelia looked up to see the large chair and small body of her little half-sister, Nunnally. Cornelia stood up, smiling and knelt down by Nunnally, hugging the little girl as she giggled and hugged Cornelia back.

"Did you touch my chessboard, Nunnally?" Cornelia asked, teasingly. Nunnally's head angled so that she seemed to be looking at Cornelia.

"No," Nunnally replied, confused, "why?"

"Someone moved one of my pieces. It's almost like Lelouch moved it." Cornelia glanced at her board.

"Maybe during the funeral for Clovis he came down as an angel so you two could finish your game?" Nunnally said, half-joking. Cornelia chuckled to herself.

"What would give you such a silly idea?"

"Nothing, just day dreaming," Nunnally said. "Would you mind tucking me in, Cornelia?"

"Sure Nunnally, I'll meet you in your room in a second," Cornelia said. As Nunnally turned and rolled away, Cornelia examined the board again. With one piece, whoever had moved it had changed black's position from a losing position to a checkmate. How many chess-players could do that? She followed after Nunnally after a moment. Cornelia opened the door as Nunnally came up to the door.

Cornelia picked up Nunnally from her chair, carefully setting her on her bed, then pulling the covers over Nunnally's legs, pulling the sheets up to her sister's chest. Cornelia sat down, carefully arranging Nunnally's hair.

"You think Lelouch is an angel, Nunny?" Cornelia said, using Nunnally's childhood nickname.

"If anybody could do it, Nelly," Nunnally replied, "Wouldn't it be Lelouch?" Cornelia smiled and kissed Nunnally on the cheek. She stood and left the room, closing the door behind her as she left.


	9. Turn 09 Rolo

**The Black Knight**

Disclaimer: Zero: _I Lelouch vi Britannia command you...support the official release!_

Euphemia: Why are you always talking in italics?

Zero: _What do you mean?_

 **To answer the one question, Nunnally would be around twenty six, or give or take a year depending on the dates. I looked up mutliple things on wikipedia to try to see if the bodily trauma would have affected her, but I couldn't find anything. She's smaller because of atrophy I suppose, since she is both blind and parapalegic, and probably wouldn't be able to go through rehab because of the complicated pair of symptoms. So she's just small because she hasn't been able to work out basically. And If pressed, I would say only Odysseus is even close to forty, but yeah, at least I think Odysseus, Guinevere, and Schneizel are in their thirties.**

 **Turn 09 Rolo**

A Reporter stood on one of the press dirigibles that often flew Pendragon's skies. This one had the new casino resort in it's view screen as the reporter spoke into the camera.

"The new Queen's Gambit is the largest Casino and Hotel in Britannia or her Colonies, Standing almost a quarter mile tall, the building has been claimed by some to not up to Britannia's safety standards due to its height. It uses a large version of the still-experimental float system to keep it stable even in the high winds from the mountains. But all eyes are on the gaming tables for its grand opening, and the guest count is already well into the thousands!"

0.0.0

Milly and Lelouch were riding in the hyper-rail train, relaxing in one of the train's many compartments. Milly's red cocktail dress showed off her long legs, encased in knee-high white boots. Lelouch was feigning sleep, his eyes closed, his cheek on his fist, propping his head up on his elbow.

"Isn't this fun?" Milly asked, sipping a drink. Lelouch smirked.

"I wouldn't say fun. I would say amusing," Lelouch said. "And don't drink too many of those," he said, nodding at her drink. "You get drunk around these sharks and you may find yourself short a few cars."

"Then why did you come?" Milly asked, leaning in with a grin. Lelouch opened an eye, his smirk turning evil.

"To eat all the small fry," Lelouch replied.

"Should we have let Kallen come?" Milly asked, sitting back. She took another sip of her drink as Lelouch answered, closing his eyes.

"She's already in your debt, let's not compound that debt. And she's still busy learning to use the Guren. It'll keep her out of trouble." Lelouch said, dropping his smirk. He thought of Kallen and was reminded of his Geass command. It ate away at him internally. But even if he suffered, Kallen could live on without the complications of his mistakes.

"Because we're going into trouble?" Milly asked. Lelouch was snapped from his train of thought by Milly's comment. He smirked with a predatory grin, arching one eyebrow.

"I am trouble."

0.0.0

The boy was gasping trying to keep running. A squad of tactical police were following. The boy rounded the corner and saw that it was a dead end. Spinning, he saw the Britannian soldiers coming around the corner. His eyes began to light up red.

The Britannians looked around at the empty dead end. They looked around, then ran back the way they came, grumbling in frustration.

0.0.0

Euphemia and Cornelia entered one of the casino floors and were immediately assaulted by the sounds of the gaming machines. Beeping and chinking sounds came from each machine. Euphemia looked around, stepping forward in her white cocktail dress. Cornelia followed in her black and purple dress, the slits in the sides revealing her black lace stockings. Guilford and Suzaku followed in their uniforms, Guilford's a crimson and gold, Suzaku's gold and white.

"Should we try the card tables?" Euphemia asked her sister. Cornelia sighed at her sister's enthusiasm. "Come on, sis, if we're expected to come to all the grand openings, we may as well enjoy ourselves." Cornelia smiled as she admitted Euphemia had a point.

0.0.0

Lelouch stepped out onto the chess floor. A thousand boards, with two chairs and small beverage tables surrounded a large opening in the floor that looked over the primary gaming floor. The glass railing gave an unparalleled view. Lelouch noted it almost created a feeling of the chess-players being superior to the people trying their luck at the tables.

Lelouch found an empty table in the corner and sat down on the black side chair, setting a large stack of bills on the side of the chess board, and he settled in for a wait. As a large dark-skinned man walked over, Lelouch noted his identity. Charles King. He was a master at chess. And he was a snake of a player.

"You're a bit small to be on this floor, my young friend," King said, daring to suggest Lelouch wasn't a valid chess-player.

"Charles King. Ranked ninth in the world. Why don't you sit down and speak with your pieces rather than your mouth?" Lelouch said, looking at the board as he did. King sniggered as he sat down.

"It would be easier to merely give me the money, I think," King said, leaning back, cracking his large gold ring laden fingers.

"White moves first. A hundred crowns a piece, 500 for the king?" Lelouch asked, counting out the stack of bills he'd placed on the table. A crowd had begun to gather.

"Why not 50 crowns per piece, with a thousand for the king?" The chess hustler offered. Lelouch merely looked at the large man facing him across the board, and sat back, crossing his legs, and nodded his head. King leaned forward and moved a pawn forward. Lelouch looked at the pawn for a second, and leaned forward and moved one of his own.

0.0.0

Euphemia and Cornelia sat in the center of one of the many half-circle black jack tables. Euphemia peeked at her cards as Cornelia did, and smiled. She pushed a medium stack of chips forward into the pot. Cornelia bent her cards and tapped the table for another card. The next two asked for another card. Euphemia just smiled wider as the bet was sent back to her. She pushed another medium stack of chips forward. Cornelia added an equal amount of chips. The two tossed in their cards, annoyed. Euphemia added the rest of her chips to the pot, then eyed Cornelia. Her older sister sighed and threw in her cards.

Euphemia grinned wider and flipped her card to reveal a 5 and a 7. Cornelia sighed as the chips were pushed to her younger sister's pile. She began to pile them neatly when Milly sat down, setting down a pile of large chips, including two stacks of the larger card-sized chips. Euphemia propped her chin on the back of her hands, smiling mischievously. Milly smiled even wider as the cards were dealt.

0.0.0

Charles King looked at the board in worry as Lelouch took the fifth piece in a row. Lelouch leaned back and folded his hands in front of his face, his eyes boring into Charles King's beady little onyx orbs. King gestured for a waiter from the bar against the north wall. The waiter stood at his elbow to take his order.

"I would like a pint of Guinness," Charles said in his deep voice. "Can I get you anything, mister...?"

"Lamperouge," Lelouch said, his face a mask. "A vodka martini, shaken over ice. No vermouth." The waiter walked off with King's and Lelouch's order as the former moved another piece. Lelouch glanced at the board, then back to King, who was visibly sweating. Lelouch had begun the battle. Now it was time to escalate. Lelouch leaned forward and moved his black king forward. The crowd gasped softly and began chatting.

"You stymie my offense and then provide a target?" King asked, wondering aloud Lelouch's motivation for such a move.

"A king plus fifteen other pieces is 1750 Crowns," Lelouch told the older chess-player. "If you surrendered now I would accept 1250 for the king and the five pieces I've taken so far." Charles sat back, offended. "I am merely offering terms, King," Lelouch said, opening his hands in a peaceful gesture. In actuality it would be the end of Charles King's chess career. And they both knew it.

"Your arithmetic is impressive, but not your manners, boy," King said, angrily. He reached down and moved his rook, going on the offensive again. The waiter returned with their drinks, and Lelouch accepted his martini gratefully, taking a small sip. Then he leaned forward, moving his queen.

0.0.0

Milly and Euphemia were at a war of cards. Their chips had increased together. Their smiles hid dangerous minds that were calculating exactly what they needed to do to get the other to fold their hands. Milly and Euphemia both looked at their other hands, Cornelia peeking at her own in between them.

"All in," Euphemia said, shoving her entire pile into the pot. The two other men playing immediately threw in their cards and walked off, tired of losing. Cornelia pushed her own chips in. Milly responded with her own all in.

"Alright ladies, show," the dealer said. Euphemia, Cornelia, and Milly flipped their cards at the same time. "Black jack. Princess Cornelia wins the pot." Euphemia and Milly both stared, agape, as Cornelia smiled and began to push her now massive pile of chips into a carrying bag provided by Guilford.

"Maybe next time," Cornelia offered as she walked away, leaving Euphemia and Milly staring at each other.

0.0.0

"Your king and ten pieces taken versus five of mine taken," Lelouch counted. "You owe me fifteen-hundred crowns as I owe you 250." Charles King could only stare at the board, then suddenly he grinned and looked at Lelouch.

"Of course...you cheated," He accused, standing. "Trying to get me to pay the amount you asked for if I surrendered. How criminal." Lelouch's eyes narrowed, his eyes still interlaced in front of his mouth and chin.

"You can pay me and save your career. Or you can risk your reputation by continuing to accuse me." Lelouch stood, setting his hands to his sides. King gritted his teeth, angrily. And then he reached into his coat and counted his bill to Lelouch, then set it down angrily and stalked away, cursing. Lelouch calmly collected the bills and set them on the stack. He sat down and finished his martini. He doubted another opponent would risk facing him after that little spectacle. Offering that huge pile of cash had scared away the small fry, and his defeat of a master had scared away any serious competition.

"How did you cheat?" asked one of the players that had been watching. "You must have, right?"

"No, against scum like that, I have no need to cheat," Lelouch said, pocketing the stack of crown bills, leaving a few hundred for the drink. Milly was stalking towards him, her face determined.

"I need a thousand more. See if that Princess Euphemia beats me this time!" Milly said. Lelouch sighed. He pulled a small stack of crown bills.

0.0.0

The small boy watched as Lelouch handed his friend a stack of bills. Suddenly he angled his head forward, his eyes turning red with v symbols in them.

0.0.0

Lelouch paused, his eye narrowing. He'd held ten hundred-crown bills in his hand. The stack he handed to Milly only contained eight. His mind formed five possible explanations. As Milly walked away, Lelouch carefully adjusted the bills inside his coat pockets and buttoned his coat. He carefully examined the carpet underneath their feet. It was still new, it hadn't been trampled enough to hide the most recent tracks.

Lelouch began to follow the small footsteps, eyes narrowed.

0.0.0

The boy hungrily drank the soda he'd bought at the downstairs bar. As he finished it, a large hand gripped his shoulder, and he cried out, turning. He looked up to see Lelouch staring down at him with a stern expression.

"Handy little talent you have there. I knew a friend who had the same talent," Lelouch said, his eyes turning red with his Geass. The boy leaned back, trying to rip away Lelouch's arm. "Since you've already stolen two hundred crowns from me, you may as well at least tell me your name." the boy gave up fighting.

"They told me my name is Rolo," the small boy said.

"My friend was named Rolo. He could freeze people too, but he couldn't affect time or space. And he was a lot older than you when he was killed." Lelouch noticed a pair of Britannian Knight-police enter the casino. Lelouch looked Rolo up and down and saw the outfit he was wearing. He still had one of the Geass Institute tracking systems on him. Lelouch sighed, looking away. The boy looked and saw the same two men, and began to try to run away, stopped only by Lelouch's hand.

"Let me go," the boy whimpered. Lelouch considered it, but the boy would either get caught or killed. He growled as he realized his only course of action.

"Stay here until I come back," Lelouch ordered with his Geass. The boy sat there, blank-faced. Lelouch began to make his way to the knight police, carefully weaving though the crowd. "Excuse me sir," he said behind the first officer's back. When he turned, Lelouch's eyes were blazing with his Geass. "What you're looking for is on a different floor." The knight thanked him, and walked past Lelouch towards the elevator, speaking into his radio. Lelouch watched the other one head for the elevators, and he went to find Milly. She was at the blackjack table, playing one on one with Euphemia.

"Lelouch!" they said in united surprise.

"I need your help," he told Milly, irritated. The two both stood, abandoning the game. He led the two women to the bar where he'd left Rolo. The boy's eyes returned to normal and he saw them watching him. "We're here to help you," Lelouch said, but it was too late. Rolo's eyes had turned and he'd disappeared again.

"How'd he do that?" Euphemia asked, as Milly looked around. Lelouch sighed, trying to catch the tracks in the carpet again, but down here it was too trampled.

"I knew a boy named Rolo over five years ago. His Geass could freeze people, but not objects." Lelouch stood up taller, looking over people's heads. He saw Rolo leaving the main room, sneaking onto the stairs. Lelouch took off running, Euphemia and Milly following as fast as they could walk in their heels, surprised.

"Rolo, stop!" Lelouch shouted as he entered the stairs. Lelouch looked down to see the smaller boy running down the stairs. Lelouch began to chase him down the stairs. As fast as he was, he wasn't faster than Rolo's Geass. He needed to think of a way to stop him from running. The original Rolo's Geass had a short time limit. As Rolo reached the bottom and opened the door, Lelouch jumped over the railing, to skip on flight of stairs, and rolled, trying to grab Rolo as he flew through the door. Lelouch followed and was stopped by Rolo slowly backing away from something. Lelouch looked up to see eight tactical police watching the door. He quickly grabbed Rolo and spun, blocking the small boy from view.

"Rolo," Lelouch said, drawing the boy's attention. "I'm going to help you. But you need to trust me. Don't use your Geass anymore. You'll kill yourself."

"What's geass?" Rolo asked. Lelouch's eyes widened at the question. Could a person use a Geass without knowing about what it was? Lelouch had gotten his from C, who'd explained it to him. Rolo's came from another. But the original Rolo had still known what it was. Another mystery.

"Your ability to freeze people. Head back up the stairs. The two ladies are friends of mine," Lelouch said, herding the small Rolo back into the stair well. As he closed the door, Lelouch saw Milly and Euphemia catching up. "The knight-police are guarding the entrance, and I think they're looking for Rolo here." Milly knelt down, smiling.

"Hi Rolo! I'm Milly!" Milly offered her white-gloved hand, and Rolo looked at it in confusion. Lelouch shook Milly's hand, showing the boy, whom then repeated the action. He looked up at Lelouch.

"Can I use my power now?" he asked Lelouch. Lelouch shook his head, his mouth grim.

"No, not yet. Wait until I say," Lelouch ordered. He looked up at Euphemia. "Any chance you can escort him out without them knowing?" Euphemia shook her head, concerned. Lelouch pulled out his cell phone. "Well, what can't you solve with a hostage situation?"

"I could freeze them," Rolo said.

"Every time you use that ability, your heart stops," Lelouch explained to him. "And you've just used it three times in the last hour. A fourth time could kill you."

"Geass stops hearts?" Euphemia asked, suddenly concerned, grabbing Lelouch's shoulder.

"Just his," Lelouch said. "Mine requires direct line of sight to even influence someone, and direct eye contact and my voice to give them an order." Euphemia gave an exhale of relief, moving her hand from his shoulder to cover her heart.

"What does that word mean, Geass?" Rolo asked in his childish voice.

"No one explained it to you?" Lelouch asked. When Rolo shook his head, he continued. "Geass is the power you have. Each one is different. Yours freezes people. Mine lets me tell people to do what I want. But don't use it right now." Lelouch opened his cell phone and began to dial.

0.0.0

Kallen answered her cell phone, interrupting Xingke's lesson on Knightmare Frames.

"Lelouch?"

'We need Zero and the Black Knights. We have a special boy that needs to escape the Knight-police,' Lelouch's voice said over the phone. 'Who's there with you?' Xingke gestured for Kallen to give him the phone. Kallen handed it over.

"Zero," Xingke said, ready to obey.

0.0.0

"Okay," Lelouch said seriously. "They'll be here in an hour, but we need someplace to hide Rolo. A room would be best."

"Cornelia and I have vouchers from the hotel management," Euphemia offered. "But I don't know how to get us there without Cornelia. And by now Suzaku and Cornelia are looking for me."

"Do you have your phone that I gave you?" Lelouch asked. When Euphemia nodded, Lelouch told them to head upstairs. Lelouch picked up Rolo as they climbed the stairs. "Get the location of the room and head that way. Tell Cornelia you need to lie down or something. Text me the room number and I'll knock three times, then two, then three."

"Three, two, three," Euphemia repeated. "Got it." Euphemia headed up the stairs quickly, outpacing Milly, Lelouch, and Rolo.

"I'm going to die?" Rolo asked, his voice cracking with fear. "Is that why they told me I was a failed product?" Lelouch froze.

"You won't die if I can help it, Rolo," He said reassuringly in a whisper. "And you're no failure." Rolo looked at Lelouch, sniffing. At Lelouch's serious expression, he managed to smile. Lelouch gave him a smirk in response.

0.0.0

Xingke was supervising the loading of the helicoper. Suddenly Ohgi was walking over beside a boxy red Glasglow. Xingke stared at the unit in surprise. The Glasglow wasn't even as advanced as the old Sutherlands that they Britannian military were phasing out.

"This is the Glasglow Sniper Type," Ohgi announced. "It's mounted almost three-hundred feet of extra cable on its slash harkens, with emergency rocket boosters and parachutes in case of a fall." The Glasglow's backpack unfolded to reveal a pair of large sniper rifles attached to its backpack. Its face armor was simplified to a simple clear visor over it's single factsphere sensor. "I figured you could use it to secure the roof against incoming aircraft. I've fitted it with a single baton on the left arm and an assault rifle, just in case."

"It's actually not a bad idea," Xingke admitted. He turned back toward the helicopter as it was loaded. He sensed someone behind him and saw C holding a black case in her hand.

"For Zero," she said, and offered him the case. Xingke took it and opened it partway. He saw that it was Zero's outfit, helmet and all. He closed the case and nodded to C, who walked off wordlessly.

"I only need three men with rifles and pistols," Xingke called out, asking for volunteers. "Kallen!" Kallen jogged over, wearing her new black knight uniform. Xingke noted that it appeared to be no more than the jacket with a short skirt and black stockings. "you'll pilot the Glasglow. Keep any helicopters from getting too close. Let's move out."

0.0.0

Jeremiah Gottwald entered the lobby of the Queen's Gambit casino, followed closely by Villeta Nu. A lieutenant named Dalton walked up, bowing to Gottwald.

"We were tracking an asylum escapee, a young boy," Dalton explained. "We have guards at the entrance, and officers searching every floor." Jeremiah looked back Villeta, who merely shared his look, before returning his gaze to the lieutenant.

"What asylum, Lieutenant Dalton?" Jeremiah asked, warily.

"The information was not made available to me, Knight-Commander," Dalton replied, confused. Jeremiah frowned in irritation at the Lieutenant.

0.0.0

Lelouch, Rolo, and Milly walked over to the room Euphemia had obtained. Lelouch knocked, thrice, then paused, twice, then paused, then three times again, careful to get the number correct. Euphemia unlocked the door, allowing them in. Lelouch scanned the room quickly. It wasn't as grand a room as he had expected, merely a single bed, a television, a desk and two chairs. He held Rolo's hand as he guided the boy to the bed. Rolo climbed on it and sat down, looking bored. Lelouch walked over to the window, peeking out at the sky line.

"When they get here," he said, not looking away from the window, "I'll go up and meet them. You two stay here with him." Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Euphemia?" came Cornelia's voice through the door. Lelouch looked at the door in alarm. If Cornelia saw him, his cover may be blown. He looked in the closet, Cornelia knocking again against the door. It was his best shot. He stepped inside, Rolo quickly following him. Lelouch scowled and closed the closet door, hiding as Euphemia opened the door. Cornelia entered the room and saw Milly.

"Why'd you bring her to your room?" Cornelia asked, suspicious. Lelouch slowed his breathing during the silence that followed.

"We got along so well that we decided to have some private girl time!" Euphemia said in explanation, mocking excitement. Lelouch rolled his eyes. She still couldn't lie that well.

"Mind if I join you?" Cornelia asked. Lelouch cursed in his mind. He wouldn't be able to get to the roof with Cornelia in the same room.

"Actually, we were just about to go buy some drinks and come back," Milly said. Come on, Lelouch urged in his mind. Get her out of the room.

"How about we just go down to the restaurant and get something to eat with our drinks?" Cornelia suggested cheerfully.

"Perfect!" Euphemia said, in unison with Lelouch's thoughts. He glanced down at Rolo, who was watching him. He heard the three women leave and close the door. Lelouch waited five minutes, then cracked the door, peeking out. Satisfied the room was empty, he looked out the window to see the helicopter arriving. He knelt down to Rolo.

"As soon as I'm gone, lock the door, and don't open it unless it's me. If it opens without you opening it, hide in the closet again unless Euphemia or Milly tell you," Lelouch ordered. Rolo nodded, then watched as Lelouch left. He headed for the elevator, watching the three ladies head downstairs, then headed for the stairs.

As he climbed, he began to think of how to deploy his threat. He calculated what the Knight-Police would do if he were to declare this, declare that. By the time he stepped out onto the roof, the Glasglow was already firing warning shots with its sniper cannons, and the few men Xingke had brought were arranging the few guards that had been on the roof into one area near the door. Xingke handed Lelouch a familiar-looking case. Lelouch nodded as he took it, then stepped into the helicopter, undoing the top button of his shirt as he did.

0.0.0

Jeremiah was leading the search in the third floor when all of the screens in the halls changed to black. Jeremiah recognized what was happening just as the visored helmet flickered onto the screens.

" _Patrons of the Queen's Gambit! Your greed has cost the prejudiced more than their money. So I give you a gift. Among you stand ten people who control the detonators to destroy the building's float system. If the Knight-Police do not prevent you from leaving, they will detonate. If one of you tries to leave, they will detonate."_

"Bloody hell, not again," Jeremiah said. He looked at Dalton. "Start tracing the signal."

"But sir, the hostages," Dalton tried to interrupt, concerned.

"Sod hostage situation, This is just a diversion!" Jeremiah said, remembering the last incident.

" _To prove my resolve and threat, I present a demonstration."_ Suddenly there was a loud explosion from above, and the building briefly seemed to wag. _"The building can hold itself up with three float systems. Can it do it with two? Stay away from the top ten floors.'_ The screen went black. Jeremiah cursed and walked up to one of the custom screens. They were able to make a two-way call over the system. He activated the call function, calling the entire hotel.

"Zero! This the Knight-Commander Gottwald! I will personally conduct the negotiations at a place of your choosing!" Jeremiah declared into the small camera atop the screen.

" _Jeremiah Gottwald. I believe you were present at the last bomb scare I made. Did you enjoy my little gift?"_ Zero replied over the system.

"I have no time for games," Jeremiah growled, angrily.

"Zero!" Cornelia's voice roared over the system. "This is Cornelia-"

" _Cornelia li Britannia. Second princess of the Imperial Family."_ Zero finished. _"This is most entertaining. Let me guess, you are going to demand me surrender? I think not. Gottwald. I will meet you on the roof. Come alone."_

0.0.0

Gottwald stepped onto the roof, and immediately saw Zero standing before an old, red Glasglow sniper. Gottwald eyed the ancient Knightmare Frame, and walked up to Zero.

"So. We meet at last," Gottwald said, unimpressed.

" _Indeed. C told me you were wondering who I am,"_ Zero replied, playfully. Gottwald winced at the mention of the witch's chosen identity.

"Stop me if I'm wrong. You were placed into that Institute. You gained that power, Geass. And then somehow you escaped," Gottwald saw Zero continued to stand, unmoved at Gottwald's deductions. "But before that, you were a member of the Imperial Royal Family. The son of Charles zi Britannia, and Marianne vi Britannia, the Flash. Which would make you Lelouch vi Britannia." Zero merely stared back at Gottwald.

" _And what if I am who you say I am?"_ Zero asked, confidently. _"Would anyone believe that story?'_ Jeremiah frowned at Zero's point. _"And it makes no difference either way. You don't know where I am. You can't stop me. And you'll never see me coming."_ Jeremiah suddenly drew his pistol, aiming at Zero. The Glasglow raised an assault rifle. Zero stopped the Glasglow with an out-stretched arm. _"Interesting. If I am who you think I am, can you shoot me, after failing to protect the Lady Marianne?"_ Jeremiah gritted his teeth in anger.

0.0.0

Rolo heard many footsteps in the halls, then a knock on the door.

"Lelouch said we're to help you get back to him," came a strange voice through the door. Rolo ignored them. He had to wait for Lelouch.

0.0.0

Jeremiah lowered his pistol, angry at himself. Weakness! Here was the terrorist, but he was unable to kill him.

" _I was wondering,"_ Zero said, curious, running a hand up to his helmet's chin. _"How did you discover that the third prince escaped, as you claim?"_

"They claimed he was dead, but they never recovered the body. They buried a picture in the imperial memorial," Jeremiah said, holstering his pistol. Zero's hand dropped, and pulled a pistol of his own. Jeremiah stood straighter, nervously. When Zero didn't shoot, Jeremiah looked at the black figure in confusion. "Are you going to kill me?" Zero lowered the gun, then reached for his helmet. The back panel slid back up, and he pulled it forward and down, revealing black hair, then purple eyes.

"How did you feel, when Lelouch vi Britannia was sent away just as you were?" the hidden face asked, without the voice filter. The voice reminded Jeremiah of when he was younger.

"I felt...guilt. The Flash's death was my greatest shame, and the fates of her children my greatest guilt," Jeremiah admitted, defeated. The helmet was suddenly lowered, revealing Zero's true face. Jeremiah's widened in shock. "Lelouch?" he struggled to find the words. "I suspected, but never really thought it was really you!"

"And now that you know who I am, and the power I have, what will you do with that information?" Lelouch asked, threateningly. Jeremiah merely stared, dumbstruck. Lelouch suddenly glanced away, putting a finger to his ear. "I have to help a friend who escaped the institute himself. If you tell anyone, Gottwald, you will be killed, after you are forced to tell me who you told, and then I will kill them. And their families. And friends. And it will be all on your hands, Gottwald." Gottwald absorbed this as Lelouch donned his helmet again, stalking past the Knight-Commander as he continued to be in shock.

0.0.0

" _Rolo? It's Lelouch,"_ came Lelouch's voice through the door. Rolo ran over and unlocked, revealing the large, caped and helmeted figure standing in the door. He raised the helmet, revealing Lelouch's grinning face underneath. He then replaced the helmet, and offered Rolo his gloved hand. Rolo took it.

"Freeze, Zero!" came Cornelia's voice, and Lelouch spun to see Cornelia aiming a pistol his way, Euphemia behind her. Zero saw Euphemia shake her head slightly. Then Rolo's eyes lit up with his Geass. Cornelia froze, her eyes turning red, and Zero picked up Rolo and he and Xingke ran around the corner to the elevator. Lelouch heard the pistol fire, hitting the wall of the hallway. The managed to enter the elevator, the doors closing. Xingke punched the button for the roof.

"Lelouch?" Rolo said, weakly. "My chest and arm hurts." Zero held him closer.

" _Just hold on, Rolo,"_ he ordered the small boy in his arms. _"We need to get him to a doctor."_

As they stepped onto the roof, Jeremiah watched them get on the helicopter, the Glasglow plugging it's chest-mounted slash harkens into two mounts underneath the helicopter. Zero set down the boy and walked up to Jeremiah.

" _What will you do, Jeremiah?"_ Zero asked. Jeremiah just stared at Lelouch, his eyes narrowed.

"I don't know yet," Jeremiah admitted. "But I'll keep your secret until I figure it out," he told the masked figure. Zero nodded in acceptance, and seemed to accept Jeremiah's non-decision. He stepped onto the helicopter as it began to take off, flying rapidly into the distance as the back hatch closed.

0.0.0

Lelouch knelt by Rolo, strapping him into the helicopter. Lelouch checked his pulse, and gave a sigh of relief as he felt the steady rhythm. He removed his helmet and sat down across from the young Geass user. But Rolo wasn't out of the woods. He was in the same predicament as Lelouch himself had been. And he was barely 8 years old.

"You're Zero," Rolo said, in surprise. Lelouch smiled and nodded. Rolo smiled back.

0.0.0

Jeremiah Gottwald was walking around the lobby of the casino. It had been a few hours before the explosives team had declared there was no bomb. It wasn't as if the Queen's Gambit would be visited anytime soon. The repairs would take long enough that they would almost be forgotten in the interim. Jeremiah wondered if that was Zero's plan all along.

 _Lelouch,_ Jeremiah thought, correcting himself. Why the hell had Lelouch turned against Britannia? Why had he been placed in the institute? Jeremiah had witnessed these events, but somehow couldn't remember the reasons behind them. His attention was drawn by someone speaking Lelouch's name, and Jeremiah walked in that direction. The officer was questioning a blonde about Lelouch Lamperouge.

"Lelouch Lamperouge wasn't in the building," Jeremiah declared. "You list is off, private." The officer nodded and walked off. The blonde gave him a small smile as she was allowed to leave the casino. "I couldn't protect the Lady Marianne," Jeremiah said to himself, quietly. "Perhaps I can make up for it with Lelouch."

0.0.0

Euphemia was leaving the building with Suzaku. Her knight had been caught up by the panic below at Zero's threat. Euphemia had rejoined the knight later. As they left, Euphemia turned toward her knight, suddenly curious.

"Suzaku, do you have any dreams?" Euphemia asked. Suzaku stopped, surprised by the sudden question.

"I want to be the Knight of One. Then I'd be able to achieve governorship of Ja- of Area Eleven," he said, standing taller with his delcaration.

"You want to rule over your homeland?" She asked, confused.

"No, I want to restore it to some of it's former glory," Suzaku said, smiling to himself. Euphemia smiled and started walking again.

"I could appoint you as my choice for the position of Knight of Six," she informed him. She stopped when she witnessed four of the Knights of the Rounds, led by the Knight of One, Bismark Walden.

"My Lady Euphemia. We've been sent to retrieve you and your sister," Bismark said, a hand on his hip. Cornelia joined Euphemia's side, followed by Guilford.

"The eleven wants to be Knight of One?" asked the blonde at Bismark's side. Euphemia identified him as the Knight of Ten, Lucario Bradley. Also known as the Vampire of Britannia. Bradley just laughed, and Euphie glanced over her shoulder to see Suzaku lowering his head. Euphemia started to walk up to the Knight of Ten to silence him, when Cornelia's arm stopped her.

"He'd kill you in your sleep," Cornelia whispered in Euphie's ear. Euphemia frowned angrily and glared at the Knight of Ten.

"Bradley, silence yourself. Aspirations make you strong," Bismark said. Lucario looked at the Knight of One in barely-controlled fear and nodded. Suzaku saw the exchange.

Is the knight of one so terrifying, that he instills fear in even the other knights of the rounds? Suzaku thought to himself. Bismark spoke again, voice brimming with authority.

"The Emperor is deciding who will be the new Prime Minister. He wants all of his children present at the morning breakfast where he will announce his decision."


	10. Turn 10 Lamperouge

**The Black Knight**

Disclaimer: Euphemia: The following is non-profit, don't sue us please!

Cornelia: No, no! You must disclaim with strength and confidence!

Lucario Bradley (off screen): Don't sue us or we'll kill you!

Cornelia: Maybe there's a middle ground.

 **Turn 10 Lamperouge**

Lelouch and Xingke followed the nurses as they rolled Rolo's gurney through the hallways. The Chinese airship's infirmary was as close as Lelouch would come to a hospital. The doctor began to feel Rolo's pulse.

"We'll know more by morning. Please leave us, gentlemen," the doctor informed, and Lelouch and Xingke fell behind, leaving the doctor. Lelouch removed his helmet.

"I can arrange for transportation back to the mansion-" Xingke was saying before Lelouch interrupted.

"I'll sleep here," Lelouch announced. When Xingke tried to argue, Lelouch added, "It's final."

"So will I," Kallen said. Lelouch looked at her and smiled. She smiled back. Xingke sighed and gestured for Lelouch to follow. The Chinese commander led Lelouch and Kallen to the apartments of the airship. They entered a living room with a large bent couch, effectively two that were joined at a corner. Lelouch laid down, setting his head on the corner where they joined. Kallen laid down on the other, sighing. Her head wound up touching Lelouch's, their hair mixing. Her proximity reminded Lelouch of when they'd been lovers.

"I wouldn't mind sharing a bed with you," he admitted, devilishly. He felt Kallen's head turn against his. Lelouch's hand went up to feel her hair.

"I didn't think we were that good as friends," Kallen said. Lelouch was at once reminded of the command he'd placed on her. He withdrew his hand, placing it on his chest. He frowned. "I mean, we can bunk up, if we need to. But we don't really know each other that well."

"You'd be surprised how well two people know each other," Lelouch said, somber. He placed a hand on his forehead, sighing. He saw Kallen's legs as she sat up. Damn her legs were great, Lelouch thought. He groaned and closed his eyes, covering them with his arm.

"What's wrong?" Kallen asked, sounding as if she thought Lelouch was insane.

"Just wishing I had the belt to a pink bathrobe," Lelouch muttered, then said aloud, "Nothing."

"You're a bit of a slut, aren't you?" Kallen asked, coy. Lelouch looked at her, amused and confused. She merely smirked. "I heard how long you were with Euphemia. You must have been really dirty needing such a long bath." Lelouch chuckled and looked back up.

"How do you like your uniform?" he asked.

"Fits like a glove," Kallen said. "Not sure if the headband works the way my hair is, though."

"Maybe you need to gel it up. Make it more like a mane," Lelouch suggested. He saw Kallen nod in the corner of his eye. "I wish Euphemia were here right now," he admitted.

"Of course you do...slut." Lelouch looked over at Kallen as she smiled teasingly. He smiled and sat up. Stretching, he undid his cloak, setting it over the arm of the couch, setting his helmet on the table in the center of the room. Kallen picked it up, looking at the inside of the helmet. She set it on, looking around the room with it. She pulled it off, then set it down again. "I think I might have gone a different way," Kallen admitted, staring at the visor.

"Oh yeah? Burgundy dress and stripper heels?" Lelouch said, reminding her of how they had met. Kallen rolled her eyes.

"Those were not stripper heels," she said, irritated.

"They were," Lelouch said, confirming.

"Fuck you," Kallen said angrily.

"I wish you would," Lelouch muttered.

"What did you say?"

"What?"

The two merely stared at each other, not saying anything else. Lelouch felt the tension rising. It might have been just him. He stood slowly, Kallen doing the same.

"I'm going to find something to eat," Lelouch said carefully. Kallen met his gaze.

"I'm going to find a shower," Kallen replied, equally carefully. They started to walk different ways, backing away as they faced each other. Finally Lelouch left the room, and Kallen headed into another part of the apartments, looking for a bathroom. Lelouch looked around and only found bathrooms.

On the other half of the apartments, Kallen kept finding small dining rooms with various windows to the kitchens. She leaned around the corner to see Lelouch doing the same.

"I found the kitchen," she told him.

"I found a bathroom," he told her.

The two began to walk towards each other, then began to circle, keeping their distance and their gazes on the others eyes. Then they continued to back up, not looking away from the other.

"We...could have...a one night thing..." Kallen suggested nervously.

"Food, shower," Lelouch replied. He pointed behind Kallen, who turned and headed for the bathrooms. Lelouch looked up at the sky, then down at his crotch. Now he needed a shower. He sighed and headed for the dining rooms. As he did, he headed for the bottles in the corner and uncorked a bottle of wine, then poured himself a large glass and downed it in one drink.

0.0.0

Lelouch was awakened by Xingke yanking the curtains of the room open, shooting morning sunlight into his eyes. He tried to sit up, when he noticed a body on top of him. And that neither his nor his bed mate were wearing clothes. He looked down and saw the crimson hair as it began to turn to look up at him with Kallen's eyes.

"What did I drink?" he asked, nervously as Kallen carefully climbed off of him.

"In general or all three bottles?" Xingke replied. Lelouch rolled over as Kallen began to pull on her uniform. Lelouch began to pull on his own, quickly.

"Should we talk about this?" Kallen asked, nervously.

"What happens in China, stays in China," Lelouch said, standing as he pulled on his shirt and jacket. He stood and turned to see Kallen pulling on her knee-high black stockings.

"And I did not put it on the internet," Xingke said. Lelouch stared at Xingke, trying to determine if the straight-faced warrior was joking or not. The corner of Xingke's mouth began to curl, and Lelouch realized the joke.

"I will kill you," Lelouch said, determined. Xingke chuckled and walked out of the room. Lelouch pulled on his socks, then boots, and followed him, leaving Kallen to pull on her own boots. "You might call Milly to pick you up," he said, before leaving.

0.0.0

Lelouch looked into the infirmary room. Rolo was hooked up to a heart-rate monitor. He glanced at Xingke, who looked at him straight-faced.

"He's got multiple heart defects. The doctors said it's as if they strengthened the heart so much that they ruined it," Xingke informed him. Lelouch absorbed this. They'd been trying to correct the defect of Rolo's Geass. For experimentation and mass-production. Rolo had an impressive power. The testers had focused on Rolo a lot more than Lelouch. Lelouch thought of the many young men he'd met in the dark. Lelouch was surprised if any of them were still alive. A mercy kill, to a gigantic scale, when he'd destroyed the institute.

"He's been asking for you, since he woke up." Lelouch nodded, and headed around the corner of the observation area, walking into the room. Rolo smiled when he saw Lelouch enter.

"How are you, Rolo?" Lelouch asked, walking to the side of the boy's bed.

"I feel fine until I move," Rolo told him. "Then my chest hurts."

"Don't worry about it," Lelouch said, placing a reassuring hand on Rolo's chest. Lelouch could feel Rolo's heart. Lelouch internally cursed. He could feel the heartbeat was off. It was very sporadic. A stutter. "Have they been treating you well?"

"I guess," Rolo said. "They gave me some vegetables. I didn't really like them. How long will I be here?" Lelouch frowned, looking down. "Lelouch?" Rolo asked, worried.

"You won't be here any longer than you have to be," Lelouch said, suddenly turning strong and reassuring. "I'll be back, Rolo, I promise." Lelouch turned and walked out of the room, stepping behind the wall next to the door so Rolo couldn't see him.

"He won't live long, will he?" Lelouch asked Xingke. Xingke frowned and shook his head, once. "Does he even have twenty-four hours?" Xingke frowned again. Lelouch leaned his head against the wall. It was like being in the Geass Institute again. He sighed and pulled out his cell phone, walking away.

0.0.0

Euphemia's phone rang on her desk. Euphemia wasn't there. She sat down in the main dining hall of the Imperial Palace. Charles zi Britannia sat at the top of the table as the breakfast was served, Schneizel and Guinevere at his side. Cornelia and Euphemia sat on the long side of the table beside Guinevere, Carine sitting on the other side of Euphemia. Nunnally sat across from Euphemia, being helped a maid as she ate.

"Now," Charles said. "With Odysseus gone, I have been judging which of you would be Prime Minister." he glanced at Schneizel.

"Oh father," Guinevere said, complaining. "Must it really be one of us? I so tire of hearing about this ruling fairly."

"Silence," Charles growled. "Guinevere you will be quiet. You are nothing but a marriage to strengthen our hold on the world. I have decided that Euphemia and Nunnally will be co-prime ministers." Euphemia looked up in surprise, and Nunnally angled her head similarly, though she couldn't see.

"Father," Schneizel said. "Surely I would be better suited-"

"Quiet," Charles said again. "My choice is made. The two are far better at ruling compassionately than you, Schneizel. It will create stronger support from the commons and numbers."

"Numbers?!" Guinevere said, angrily. "What are they to us? They just cheat and steal for their drug habits and prostitution." Euphemia glared at her oldest half-sister angrily as Cornelia just gave Guinevere a weary look of irritation. "We'd be better off enslaving and sterilizing all of them."

"Shut up!" Euphemia said, standing angrily. The two knights of the rounds present, Gino Weinburg and Anya Alstreim, reached for their swords in alarm, but were calmed by a single hand from Charles.

"Oh really, little pink princess?" Guinevere said, standing haughtily. "And what if I don't? I'm a true daughter of Charles zi Britannia, while you are from the fourth consort. Challenge me if you dare, little sister. I'll ruin you!" Cornelia suddenly stood, and Guinevere's confidence disappeared almost comically.

"Guinevere," the Emperor began, "you are nothing without my blessing. You forget who rules here. I have chosen Euphemia and Nunnally to rule my realm for me. You have done nothing but bed knights and embarrass our house. You will be respectful or you will be sent to a brothel to service whatever man will have you." Guinevere watched the Emperor fearfully as he spoke, sitting as he finished, head hung in shame. "Cornelia, Euphemia, sit down please. I know we have lost much, and it has not all made us stronger. The losses of Lelouch, Clovis, and Odysseus have caused much sorrow in the realm." Euphemia noted Schneizel briefly grit his teeth at the mention of Lelouch. Euphemia thought of what Lelouch was doing as her father continued to speak. "Nunnally, Euphemia, come next to me." Nunnally ran her chair over to Charles's side, and he set his hand on her leg. Euphemia took Charles's other outstretched hand. "You will obey these two as though they speak my words at all times. Is that understood." Cornelia smiled as she joined her siblings in replying in unison.

Charles stood and left the room, leaving the six adult Royal children to finish the breakfast.

"Congratulations, sisters!" Cornelia said happily. Then she met Guinevere's glare, who then repeated the statement out of fear of Cornelia.

"The emperor did choose the most interesting choice," Schneizel said, smiling again. "And perhaps even the best one." Nunnally was smiling widely as she rolled back to her place. Euphemia sat back down, taking a sip of her orange juice.

"We all know who he would've picked if they were all still alive," Carine said, from Euphemia's side. Schneizel's smile disappeared.

"Lelouch," Schneizel said, irritated. "The prodigal son. Yes, our father may have picked Lelouch to lead the country after Odysseus's repeated failure to live up to anything."

"Or perhaps my position," Cornelia said, adding more praise to Lelouch to Guinevere's and Schneizel's irritation.

"Prince of the low-born consort," Guinevere mumbled, only to be immediately slapped by Cornelia.

"Show some respect for the dead," Cornelia ordered.

"Stop fighting," Nunnally said. "We are supposed to be family."

"Supposed to be," Euphemia repeated, glumly. In the corner, Gino's eyes narrowed as he thought.

"How common a name is Lelouch?" Gino asked from the other end of the room. Cornelia and Euphemia looked at Gino at his question.

"Not that common," Cornelia said. "I think the lady Marianne made it up."

"I met a lady who was married to a Lelouch," Gino said, pondering.

"Hmm. Not as unique as we thought, apparently," Euphemia said, grinning.

"Hmph," Guinevere said, scooping a forkful of eggs into her mouth. Euphemia and Cornelia turned to glare at Guinevere, who looked around the table to see their glares, and Nunnally angling her face towards her. "I'm leaving," she announced, getting up to leave.

"Probably to whore herself out again," Cornelia muttered.

When Euphemia got to her room later, she noticed the missed call and picked up the phone, dialing.

0.0.0

Lelouch answered the phone in front of Rolo, smiling.

"Yes?"

'I got your call,' Euphemia said over the phone, concerned. 'Is everything all right?' Lelouch frowned. Rolo frowned at the same time.

"Not really. The boy isn't going to make it." There was silence on the other end as Rolo's eyes widened. Lelouch frowned as Rolo looked down, depressed.

'What can I do?' Euphemia asked, worriedly.

"You can come meet him. He needs a gentle face," Lelouch said. Rolo looked up at him, in confusion. Lelouch gave her the location and closed the phone after she told him she was on her way. He looked at Rolo with pain in his eyes. "I'm sorry that I couldn't help you more," Lelouch said. Rolo's eyes narrowed. "It's my fault that you're dying." Rolo's eyes widened in shock.

"My friend whom you're named after. He had the same power as you. We were friends in the Geass Institute. When we were broken out, Rolo helped me escape. But I wasn't strong enough to do it on my own. He overused his ability to freeze people, and it killed him." Lelouch's eyes began to fill with tears. "If I had been stronger. He'd be alive. And when I saw you, I thought I could repay his sacrifice. And I'm still not strong enough." he suddenly threw his arms around Rolo, who merely watched him in shock.

"Lelouch," Rolo said, in surprise. "But you're Zero! You can defeat anything!" Lelouch let him go somewhat.

"No, I can't, Rolo. There are some things you can't fight. Rules of the world that we have to live by. I can use my Geass on you, command you to live, but you'll still die. It's not a matter of power. It's a matter of time." Rolo's eyes teared up and he began to cry silently. Lelouch turned at the bootsteps in the hall and saw C standing there. She walked right up to Rolo and stood by the opposite side from Lelouch. An idea occurred to him.

"Could you help him?" C looked at Lelouch at his question.

"I can't give my code to someone who's Geass I didn't give them," the witch said. Lelouch gritted his teeth.

"So there's nothing?" Lelouch asked, angrily. C glanced at Rolo, then back to Lelouch. She turned to Rolo, kneeling down. Rolo looked at her as his tears flowed down his face. She reached up, brushing one away.

"Dying's not that scary," C promised. "It's just like going to sleep. And when you wake up, you'll be with everyone. You'll all be together. It's not bad, and it's not good, but it's easy. And I'll come and talk with you all the time. And someday you'll see everyone again. They might be a little different, but you'll know who they are." Lelouch raised an eyebrow at C. The witch stood and smiled, barely, then walked away. Lelouch followed after her.

"I didn't know you believed in heaven," he said, mocking her. She whirled on him.

"It's not heaven. It's not hell. It just is. Heaven and hell are human concepts. You bring just what you take with you. Trust me, I've died enough times to know." Lelouch gave her a cold stare as a reply. "You of all people should know that death is inevitable." Lelouch gritted his teeth. He looked behind C to see Euphemia running over, guided by Xingke.

"I came as fast as I could," she told Lelouch. "Where is he?" Lelouch gestured behind him, and Euphemia walked past them.

"In another life you could have been, in another you can never be," C said, looking at Euphemia as she spoke to Rolo.

"You can see alternate futures?" he asked, mocking again.

"I can see the flows of time," the witch said. "Every river breaks into streams. In some you die, in some you live. Every stream she lives in your heart somewhere. Lelouch, I don't care what happens to me anymore. If you don't want to be like me, keep that one safe." C then turned and walked away. Lelouch understood all of what C said.

"Thank you, C," he said to her receding back. C stopped and looked over her shoulder, straight-faced, as Lelouch turned.

"You're welcome, warlock," he heard her say to his back. Lelouch returned to the infirmary room to see Euphemia fussing over Rolo, who was desperately trying to get her to stop. She'd be a fine mother, Lelouch thought as he watched Euphemia, and froze. A mother, but to his children? Lelouch wondered if he had that kind of future. He was stunned out of his inner monologue as the doctor entered, advising them that Rolo needed rest.

Euphemia and Lelouch stepped out of the room as the light's were turned down. Euphemia looked at him, worriedly, and Lelouch put an arm around her. He gently guided her to the apartments, sitting down with her on the couch. Euphemia watched him as they sat.

"I feel helpless," Lelouch said, angry. "I can't stand it." Euphemia leaned her head to the side, and cupped his cheek. Lelouch's hand grabbed hers, and he leaned into her hand. "I got more than a little drunk," Lelouch admitted sorrowfully. "I was a bit lonely. And I think I slept with Kallen."

"A lot of people make mistakes when they don't know what to do," Euphemia said, accepting. Lelouch smiled a small smile.

"I'll make it up to you if you want," he said, quietly. She smiled, tempted. He leaned in to kiss her, and she pulled back.

"Not with you sad like you are," Euphemia said. Lelouch frowned and leaned back.

"I guess you'll have to make me laugh then," Lelouch said, teasing.

"Father just skipped over Schneizel for the new Prime Minister," Euphemia said, smiling at the memory. Lelouch smirked, but didn't laugh. "And he skipped Guinevere." When Lelouch smiled, she added, "And he said that if Guinevere didn't stop complaining he'd send her to a brothel." Lelouch's eyes went wide and he gave out a short bark of laughter, with Euphemia joining in. Lelouch leaned his head against the couch, chuckling to himself. Euphemia leaned in, kissing him. His hand went around her waist, pulling her gently against him.

"Long," came a young voice, "who's your friend this time?" They both stopped to look and saw the Empress Tianzi and Xingke standing there watching them. Euphemia looked at Lelouch, who sighed and smiled.

"Sister Tianzi," Lelouch said, "This is my fiancee Euphemia." Euphemia leaned forward, offering her hand. Tianzi smiled and took it, turning it over and kissing the back of her hand.

"That's not how you do it," Xingke said to the little empress, frowning.

"That's how Long does it," Tianzi argued.

"Lelouch is a man, your highness," Xingke replied.

"Long always said I can do anything he can," Tianzi said, smiling proudly. Lelouch narrowed his eyes, awkwardly, and glanced at Euphemia's bemused expression.

"Although there are some things that I can do that you really shouldn't try," Lelouch said. Tianzi frowned, annoyed.

"Did she call you long?"

"It's because he's a dragon in human form!" Tianzi said, throwing her hands up in excitement. "In china, he devoured his enemies with fire while he fought alongside Li to free my country!" Euphemia looked slowly from Tianzi to Lelouch, smiling even wider. Lelouch sighed and met her gaze.

"I may have simplified or exaggerated Knightmare Frame combat when she was much younger. In my defense, she understood everything else I taught her," Lelouch said, defensively.

"Good thing, too," Xingke said. "Means you get to explain the sex thing." Euphemia shook her head, mortified, and leaned forward, sitting on the edge of her seat, taking Tianzi's hands in hers.

"Do you want to get something to eat while you tell me about Lelouch fighting like a dragon?" Euphemia asked sweetly, smiling. Tianzi smiled and nodding and led Euphemia by the hand. Lelouch smiled as they went, then turned a glare on Xingke.

"You are an evil man, you know that?' Xingke just met his gaze.

0.0.0

Lelouch was napping on the couch when he was startled awake by Euphemia sitting down on the couch. He let out a sigh of relief, then scooted back. Euphemia laid down next to him, her back to his chest. Lelouch wrapped an arm around her waist to prevent her falling off the couch, his face winding up in the back of her hair.

"Seeing you with Tianzi made me wonder about any children we have," Euphemia said. Lelouch froze. "How would we be? Would we be like our father? My mother wasn't the same as Marianne. I never saw her." Lelouch frowned, and he wrapped another arm around her, stroking Euphemia's arm as he thought.

"Seeing you with Rolo made me think of the same thing. I honestly never thought of it. I thought of you, but never of a child," Lelouch admitted. The two laid there for a few moments, not thinking.

"Maybe we should swear that we will love them unconditionally?" Euphemia said, looking over her shoulder at him, though she couldn't see anything.

"But if we needed to do that, what kind of parents does that make us?" Lelouch said. "Would we need an oath to do that? When I was helping Rolo out of the casino, I wasn't acting like my mother. I reminded myself of father."

"I barely knew mother. Yours practically raised me and Cornelia. I loved her more than I even knew my own. Eventually I loved you and Nunnally too." Euphemia put her hands around Lelouch's arms, holding him to her as well as she could. "So when I thought of what to do with Rolo, I thought of Marianne tucking me into bed with Cornelia when we were very young." Lelouch smiled at Euphemia's recollection.

"Whenever I think of her, I always think of when she would play with me and Nunnally. Later, when I learned of the kind of things she'd had to do as a Knight, it never destroyed that image. It only made her more incredible to me. She killed, just as I've done, and she was still the best parent I've known. How much will I take after her?"Euphemia wriggled and turned to face him, placing a hand on his shoulder. She looked up into his eyes, and he met hers, both of them looking at each other.

"I want to carry your children, Lelouch," she finally declared softly. "I don't care what kind of parents we are. I want them to be the most beautiful, kindest, smartest, and strongest Royal Children that ever existed. And if I can't have that, then at least they'll be ours." Lelouch stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, and she grabbed it, holding it to her.

"I love your damn poetry," he said, smiling. She smiled herself.

"I think I wrote your name in every book in that room," she said, giggling at the idea.

"Lelouch!" came Xingke's voice, causing them both to jump. "The boy is not long for this world. The empress is with him."

0.0.0

Lelouch and Euphemia ran into the room to Rolo's side. His heart-rate was jumping sporadically, and his eyes were blinking red. Lelouch realized with a horrible thought what was happening. Rolo's Geass froze his heart. As the body weakened, the Geass could overtake a person's will. Rolo's Geass was going runaway, and it was killing Rolo as it did.

"Lelouch! ...freezing...without wanting-" Rolo said, seeming to pause and restart.

"Rolo! Focus! Breathe." Rolo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Lelouch looked at Euphemia, who was watching with her hand over her mouth, crying silently.

Tianzi looked up at Xingke.

"What is happening?" the empress asked her protector.

"He can't remain in this world. He must go to live with his ancestors," Xingke said. Lelouch gritted his teeth.

"Rolo...I want to give you a gift I should've given the original. From now on, you are Rolo Lamperouge. You're my brother." Rolo's eyes opened in surprised joy. Lelouch smiled. Tianzi climbed onto the bed, placing a hand on Rolo's shoulder. She kissed his cheek, making Lelouch smile once again.

"I hope I meet you again someday, Rolo," Tianzi said, smiling. Rolo looked at her, smiled. The monitor beeped, and Rolo's face went slack. Lelouch's eyes widened. He backed up, absorbing the reality.

C watched through the glass as Rolo's spirit left his body.

"We all meet again, Rolo," she said quietly. "Right, Marianne?"

Lelouch backed up further, then with an angry cry he punched the window, shattering it. Euphemia stepped away as Lelouch walked out of the room, angrily throwing anything within reach. He stopped in front of C.

"I'm going to kill whoever did this to him," he told the witch. "This is my contract."

"Even if they're like me?" C asked, her voice straight. Lelouch's face became a mask of anger.

"Even then, I will find a way to make them pay."

0.0.0

Lelouch watched from across the cemetary as they laid Rolo in the ground. He saw Euphemia with her hand on Tianzi's shoulder. He saw Kallen and Milly place roses on the coffin. He saw Tohdoh perform a Buddhist chant to ensure no evil spirits desecrated the body. But he didn't approach. His hands in his pockets, he turned away as the funeral was ended. He had a few more graves to visit.

As he walked between the stones, he saw his target, a pair of tombstones that he had only heard were there. Another figure stood before them, hands in his pockets. As he got closer, he saw the Knight-Commander and continued.

Eventually Lelouch stood next to Jeremiah Gottwald, who was staring at the tombstones. The first read Marianne vi Britannia, the one next to it read his own name. Lelouch could only stare.

"Sometimes I come here," Jeremiah said, not looking at him. "When I need advice. Sometimes I come up with what I need to hear. Sometimes I don't. I don't know if it's the Lady Marianne, but I like to think her spirit watches over me sometimes."

Lelouch absorbed this information. C believed there was an afterlife. He supposed the witch would know best. He knelt down, placing his hand on the ground before his mother. He struggled to find the words to say.

"I love you, mother," he finally settled for. He looked at his own grave, then glanced at Jeremiah. "What did you decide?"

"I failed to protect my lady. Perhaps I can make amends helping her son," Gottwald said.

"I mean to destroy Britannia." Gottwald looked at Lelouch at the younger man's comment.

"For the people of Britannia?" Gottwald asked, curious.

"For the world. A better world." Gottwald nodded at Lelouch's answer.

"I can support that," Gottwald said. Lelouch looked at Gottwald.

"Your people. Can you speak for all of them?"

"No," Gottwald replied, turning back to Lelouch's grave. "But if all of them helped you, the game would be less interesting, wouldn't it?" Gottwald looked back at the prince to see his small smirk. Gottwald smiled and left, seeing the princess Euphemia standing some ways back, watching Lelouch. He nodded and continued on. Euphemia walked over in her black gown and coat. She stopped next to him, holding his hand with both of hers.

"Would you promise to be my wife," Lelouch said quietly, "in sickness and in health? To obey and support me, to have and to hold, til death does us part?"

"I do," Euphemia replied quietly. "Do you promise to be my wedded husband? To care for and protect me, in sickness and health, until death does us part?"

"I do," Lelouch answered. He turned to look into her eyes, his black scarf blowing in the wind. They leaned in and kissed, in front of Lelouch's mother. As they broke the kiss, Lelouch looked down sheepishly. "I'd give you a ring. Something in silver. To match how beautiful and pure you are." Euphemia smiled, flushed.

"I don't need rings or fancy weddings to be yours, Lelouch. I just need you." Lelouch smiled and looked back up into her eyes. Husband and wife, they walked away from his mother's grave, and his own, hand in hand.

0.0.0

Kallen was walking back to the mansion when she noticed a long-haired blonde boy standing in the road. Kallen narrowed her eyes trying to identify him, and the boy raised a hand, gesturing for her to come closer. He possessed purple eyes along with blonde hair.

"Hello, Kallen Kozuki. My name is V." the blonde boy offered his hand. Kallen reached up and took it, warily. Suddenly she felt her mind being rummaged through, and she felt memories of Lelouch flooding her mind. Her heart seemed to burst as emotion flooded back through her. She dropped to her knees, suddenly feeling the need to vomit at the barrage of thought. When she looked up, V was gone. She looked around and saw Lelouch and Euphemia walking down the road, Euphemia's hand in his arm. She inhaled, feeling her heart break. She turned away, unable to look.

0.0.0

Cornelia sat in the large command center. Around her many of Britannia's most powerful commanders sat around, reviewing data. The intelligence division had reported nothing new. Cornelia sighed in irritation. Then a thought hit her. Reverse the board.

"We need to stop hunting Zero," she declared standing. Instead of hunting Zero, set out a trap. But how could she draw out someone they knew almost nothing about? In his few appearances, he'd been quite enigmatic. He did seem to be quite interested in the royal children.

"Hmm," she said, stroking her chin in thought. "Well then, if Zero is so intent on the Royal Family, we will use me as bait." Guilford stood in alarm.

"My Princess," Guilford said in concern, "if this gambit fails, you may be killed!"

"It will not fail," Cornelia declared.


	11. Turn 11

**The Black Knight**

sorry for the wait, I meant to upload this last friday, but my schedule was not happy with me.

Disclaimer: Clovis-the following is fan-based non-profit work of fiction set in the fictional world of Code Geass, Code Geass is the property of Sunrise. Please support the official release.

Announcer- That was great, Clovis. Don't worry about your check, we'll mail it to your family.

Clovis\- (pause) What?

 **Previously on the Black Knight-** Kallen Stradtfeld was an ordinary half-Britannian citizen living in the capitol, Pendragon. However, a chance meeting with the renegade prince, Lelouch vi Britannia, has had far-reaching consequences. Lelouch and his allies have forced Kallen to grow into a world she was never prepared for, of coups and rebellions. Lelouch, with the power of Geass, the power to change the minds of those he wishes, has declared a war on Britannia.

 **Turn 11**

Lelouch and Euphemia followed Milly into the mansion. They went and sat down in the sitting room, Sayoko bringing some coffee over.

"Thanks, Sayoko," Milly and Lelouch chorused as they picked up some of the cups.

"Um, I drink tea," Euphemia said, "Sorry."

"I'll get it," Lelouch said, waving Sayoko to sit down. "What kind of tea do you like?"

"Uh, Twinings!" Euphemia called after.

"It's really sad," Milly said. "Who would do that kind of thing to a boy like Rolo?" Euphemia frowned. She herself didn't know anything about this Geass Institute that Lelouch and Rolo had been held prisoner in. She couldn't even think of anyone she knew that would run it. What branch of the government would handle something like that? After five minutes, Lelouch returned carrying a tray with a cup and pot, the spout steaming.

Lelouch sat down as Euphemia poured her tea. Euphie smiled when she saw that he'd included lemon and sugar. Lelouch took a sip of coffee without adding anything.

"How do you drink your coffee like that?" Milly asked, turning her nose up.

"Black," Lelouch said, smirking to himself. "What were we talking about?'

"How they could do something like that to a boy like Rolo," Euphemia told him. Lelouch snorted, angrily.

"To the people that ran the institute, quite easily. They're a bunch of sociopaths. Morality is not a factor in their equation. They just get what they need for their experiments, and use it until they can't anymore. No doubt they wanted to make Rolo some kind of spy or assassin." Lelouch took another sip of his coffee.

"Could he do that?' Sayoko asked, joining the conversation as she took a sip of her coffee.

"A spy that can turn invisible and seem to disappear at will? They can." Lelouch crossed his legs, sitting back in the couch next to Euphemia.

"Do you know what branch of the government they report to? Now that I'm prime minister, I could possibly demand an audit of that branch," Euphemia asked, looking at Lelouch between sips of her tea.

"None. I tried to find out who gave them their orders. But they all wore special visors," Lelouch said, picking up his cup. Milly sighed and took another sip of her coffee. "Why is this coffee drinking a thing after a funeral? One would think we'd rather celebrate life."

"Are you thinking party?" Milly asked, leaning over her coffee to raise her eyebrow at Lelouch. Lelouch thought about it for a second. One the one hand, it'd be fun, on the other, Milly had a taste for over-doing things.

"Where's Kallen?" Lelouch asked, changing the subject. Milly and Sayoko looked around, wondering that themselves. Lelouch pulled out his cell phone and texted Kallen.

0.0.0

Kallen was sitting outside on the steps. She wasn't ready to face Lelouch and Euphemia. She thought of what she had seen. Lelouch had Euphemia's hand in his arm. Like she was his. She sighed and looked at the sky. She saw legs in the corner of her eye and looked to see Ohgi sitting down next to her. He smiled at her sheepishly.

"Lelouch and Euphemia," Kallen said, sniffing. "They were together at the funeral. And after they were hanging onto each other. I wish I could say I wasn't jealous, but," she started to tear up and looked at the sky again, "I am." Ohgi frowned, looking at her in sympathy.

"I don't know what to tell you, Kallen," Ohgi admitted. "Me and Naoto, we never had to deal with love interests. When we were fighting Britannia together, we just did things. Living in the moment. Funny, how it worked out that it led us to Lelouch. Naoto saw purpose, and a kindred spirit. I think your brother wouldn't want you to be in pain over loving Lelouch, and help Lelouch while you try to find your own path."

"As useless information, that was a doozy," Kallen said, emitting a chuckle from Ohgi. "But, it actually does help," she said. She smiled and leaned onto Ohgi's shoulder.

"No problem, kiddo," Ohgi said, smiling. Kallen got off of Ohgi's shoulder and stood, heading inside. She smiled at Lelouch and Euphemia.

"Can I talk to you two, privately?" she asked, politely. Lelouch's brow furrowed, then he nodded. Euphemia smiled as they rose. Kallen led them into an empty room with a small table and four chairs, satisfied it was private enough, she closed the door behind Lelouch and Euphemia. She then turned to them.

"Sorry if I come out rude," Kallen began with. "You," she pointed at Lelouch, "used your Geass on me to try to make me forget loving you. I'm not exactly happy that you had to use your Geass, but I'll live. Someone broke that out of me. Then I saw you two together, and I got some advice that I've decided to follow. I can't stop loving you, Lelouch. But I can help you as your friend until I find my own path. Until then, congratulations."

Euphemia and Lelouch were silent, staring at Kallen for a few seconds after she had finished speaking. Then Euphemia let out a huge laugh and hugged Kallen. Kallen smiled, giggling and returned the hug. Lelouch was just thoughtful.

"My Geass has never been undone like this," he said, thoughtfully. "who the hell did it?"

"The last thing I saw was a young man with your eyes and blonde hair," Kallen said, looking at Kallen along with Euphemia. Lelouch's eyes widened in recognition. He mouthed something to himself and stalked past Kallen and Euphie.

"C?! Where are you, witch?" Lelouch shouted. The green-haired girl looked down from the top of the stairs. Lelouch looked up.

"What is it, warlock?" C asked, leaning over the railing.

"Could you undo a Geass ability in another person?" C paused for a second at Lelouch's question. She then flipped over the railing, landing on her feet by Lelouch. She spun.

"I could," C said. Lelouch looked back at Kallen.

"It was V," Lelouch announced. C narrowed her eyes.

"Rolo. His Geass didn't come from me, and if V made the contract, he would've been able to sense where Rolo was." Lelouch's eyes widened as he realized something. He began to pull out his cell phone, quickly dialing and starting a call.

"Rolo was on the Chinese airship." The phone ceased ringing and Kallen heard a voice coming through. "Xingke, take off. Rolo was bugged. Isolate the empress and your forces from the rest of Pendragon. I will give you a call if I've confirmed your safety." Lelouch closed his phone, sighing. Then he turned to Kallen. He threw his arms around her, making her giggle. "Thanks for understanding, Kallen. If you need anything don't be afraid to ask." Lelouch let go of Kallen and turned to C. He walked up to her.

"If you make a thing about this, I will stop you from ever ordering pizza again," Lelouch threatened. Then he gave C a short hug. As he did, C just eyed him, perturbed. Lelouch let go, patting her shoulder. Then he turned to see Euphemia and Kallen staring at him. "Don't make a thing of it," Lelouch warned.

"I'm gonna order pizza," C said, and she walked off.

"I'm gonna..." Lelouch started to say, then his words dropped off as he thought of something to do. He shook his head and sighed, then headed upstairs. Euphemia put a hand on Kallen's shoulder.

"Thank you for your understanding and friendship, Kallen," Euphemia said, then hugged Kallen again and headed upstairs after Lelouch. Kallen smiled to herself. She caught Ohgi in her eye and he smiled and nodded.

0.0.0

Lelouch took off the large black coat and scarf he'd worn for the funeral. He set them on the chair, then paused, remembering the funeral. He sighed and turned as Euphemia entered his room. Euphemia looked around his room. It was quite different from most of the other rooms. There was a sword and sheathe on a rack on the drawer. Euphemia ran a finger over the ornate weapon.

"The Doublecross. It's one of the finest swords in the world," Lelouch said, identifying the black weapon. "I had it modified to a high-frequency blade a few years ago. It belonged to my mother when she was a Knight of the Rounds. There's a built in derringer pistol."

"I see," Euphemia said, bored. Lelouch grinned.

"Sorry. This is just my favorite sword," Lelouch said. "It's a guy thing." Euphemia turned to him. Lelouch helped her out of her coat, spinning her around as he did. He threw her coat over the chair. "Well...even informally, we did just vow to have and to hold before my mother's grave. That has to mean something, wife of mine."

"Hmm," Euphemia said, suddenly playing coy. "I don't know, dear husband. What does it mean?" Lelouch put his hands on her hips. Euphemia backed away, smiling as she began to examine the photographs. Most of them were of Nunnally or Marianne. A few were of Tianzi, a few were some other people she didn't know.

"I didn't have any of you that did you justice," Lelouch said. Euphemia grinned mischievously at Lelouch's compliment. Euphemia looked down at her black dress, then back at Lelouch, grinning wider. She looked out the window to see it was dark.

"Well," Euphemia said, teasing. "Grab a camera." Lelouch quickly checked his drawers and didn't find a camera. He looked up at Euphemia as she was working on the back of her dress.

"I'll be right back," Lelouch told Euphemia. She smiled teasingly and Lelouch ran from the room. "Ohgi!" he called out. The Japanese freedom fighter stuck his head up, seeing over the stairs. "I need a camera." A light bulb went on in Lelouch's head and he jumped to the bottom flight in a bound, and ran to his elevator. Lowering into his sanctum, he ran over to the massive tool-drawer that he kept his gadgets in. Pulling out a high-definition camera, he tested it and closed the single shelf, then ran back into the elevator. He pressed the button repeatedly until the door closed.

He was jogging in place when the door opened again, running past as Sayoko and Ohgi were drinking two glasses of wine. Lelouch paused, watching them.

"You two are a thing?" he asked.

"Not at all, we just enjoy each others company," Ohgi said. Lelouch nodded understanding and ran back up the stairs. He opened the door to his room to see Euphemia was not where she'd been standing. He looked confused until he heard a whistle. He looked to see Euphemia on her bed. Sans dress. Lelouch's jaw dropped as he took in her bra and panties.

"Oh good, you found a camera," Euphemia said, rolling onto her side facing Lelouch. Lelouch knelt and pulled off his shoes, then got on one knee, aiming his camera. Euphemia gave him a closed-mouth coy smile, angling her head at a provocative angle that showed off her chin and neck. Lelouch snapped a pair of photos.

"Keep showing me that neck, I'll bite it," Lelouch teased. Euphemia smiled genuinely this time, showing her perfect white teeth. Lelouch snapped two more photos. He leaned and kissed her, holding the camera at arm's length to snap a photo of them kissing. Or three. Euphemia snaked her arms around Lelouch's neck, pulling him to her as she tried to lay on her back, pulling Lelouch over her. He stood over her, unbuttoning his shirt. Euphie smiled a devilish grin and removed her bra, tossing it across the room. Lelouch snapped another photo, then tossed the camera onto the dresser.

He lowered himself onto the bed, one leg on either side of Euphemia's hips, his mouth on her chest. Euphie moaned as Lelouch's mouth and tongue worked on her chest, his hands rubbing between her thighs. Lelouch rolled over onto his back, kissing her as he slid his pants and boxers off. Euphemia rolled atop him, straddling his waist as she bent down to kiss him. Lelouch tugged on her hair, pulling his head back so Lelouch could kiss and bite her neck, his other hand grabbing her ass and pushing her hips down onto his.

She could feel his manhood pressing against her stomach as she ran her hands over his chest, thumbing his nipples. They began to harden under her thumbs. Lelouch moved his lips to her jawline, trailing kisses until he released her hair as their lips met again. His free hand, no longer pulling her pink curls, moved down around her butt, his finger tips rubbing her flower though her white panties. Euphemia threw her head back at the teasing sensation.

"Lelouch, make us whole," she breathed, reaching her hands down to push her panties off. She sat up, Lelouch's hands gently teasing her chest as she removed her panties from one leg, then the other. Suddenly with both of them naked, she reached between them. Lelouch felt his sword begin to enter her sheathe. Euphemia lowered herself onto Lelouch, making them whole in body and soul. Euphemia mewled gently as she felt Lelouch inside her as her husband. Her hands shot out, finding his after some searching as she continued to look at the ceiling from the sensation of their union.

"Lelouch," she breathed, squeezing his hands as she began to move on top of him.

"Euphemia," Lelouch reassured, sighing in pleasure as she rode him.

She looked down, meeting his eyes as they ground against each other. Her hands moved his hands to her chest, placing her own on his as he pleasured her with his sword and hands. She moaned, pressing down harder against him as she impaled herself on him. Lelouch suddenly rolled them over, Euphemia landing on her back, wrapping her legs against him as he rolled his body against hers, one hand on her chest, the other behind her neck, cradling her head. Sweat began to build up on them as they loved each other.

Lelouch leaned to kiss her, slowing their pace. It instantly felt more intimate as they kissed while they made love. Euphemia was mewling against Lelouch's lips as they began to build higher and higher in their passion. Euphemia arched her back, struggling against Lelouch to draw more pleasure out of her husband. Lelouch grunted as she did. She wrapped her arms around him as he held her tightly. She pressed the side of her head against Lelouch's shoulder, between his neck and arm.

"Lelouch," Euphie mewled, just barely managing not to scream in ecstasy, "please don't stop."

Her insides clamped down on Lelouch as her body exploded around him. She threw her head back in a breathless gasp, Lelouch kissing her jaw as he hissed as he exploded inside her.

"It's official, Euphie," Lelouch said tenderly as Euphemia recovered her breath.

"Husband," Euphemia said, cupping his cheek as she smiled widely, crying in joy.

"Wife," Lelouch breathed. He teased her chin with his nose, amused as they continued to be wrapped around each other. Lelouch carefully rolled over, then dragged himself and Euphemia til his head was on a pillow, throwing one of his black sheets over them.

"I need to think of something for us to be living together," Lelouch said, smiling at his pink-haired wife. It felt right, thinking of her in that way. He leaned up, tapping her nose with his own. She smiled and slid down him enough to lay her head on his chin.

"The Ariel Palace is unoccupied since Marianne died," Euphemia whispered against his neck, stroking the other cheek as she spoke. Lelouch considered that.

"It's not far enough away, and it's under constant surveillance," Lelouch replied, frowning. "And even if I were able to occupy it, it would draw suspicions about my identity. I could sneak into it, though, if you chose to live there."

"Your mother's house?" Euphemia asked, suddenly nervous. "But it's...not mine."

"It is mine," Lelouch pointed out. "By inheritance. You could ask Nunnally for permission. She wouldn't say no. It would give you a place to sleep that I can sneak in and out of."

"You're my husband, you shouldn't need to sneak in and out of a house to be with me," Euphemia said, annoyed. Lelouch sighed, frowning.

"Under normal circumstances, I would agree. But, you're in danger if you keep staying the night here. I agree, it's not fun. I just want to protect you." Lelouch rubbed her nude back, reassuringly.

"If you told someone the truth," Euphemia began.

"I did tell someone the truth. Then I swore to be with you until death parts us, before my mother's grave. Including to protect you," Lelouch said, irritated. Euphemia rolled off of Lelouch, laying beside him. Lelouch propped himself onto his elbow, frowning. "I don't want a fight," Lelouch said, apologizing. "I'm just trying to keep us both safe."

"I know," Euphemia said, frowning. "Ariel Palace, then?" Lelouch smiled. He snuggled up to her, laying against her side, his head on her shoulder, looking up into her eyes.

"When I'm done, we can live anywhere we want. Even a boat. Sail the world. Tianzi would be happy to have us," Lelouch said, running a finger down her torso, between her breasts. Euphemia smiled, stopping his hand.

"Maybe just a big white house with a big yard and a dog?" she asked, smiling humorously at Lelouch's ideas.

"I'd prefer black, maybe," Lelouch said, his eyes narrowing.

As they drifted to sleep, the last thing they saw was the other's eyes closing.

0.0.0

Lelouch frowned as he awoke. He carefully sat up, crawling out of the bed, leaving Euphemia's nude form in the bed. He walked around to her side and carefully adjusted the sheet, covering his wife's nude form, tucking her in. He leaned down and placed a tiny kiss on her forehead. He silently left the room, padding downstairs in just his robe.

As the elevator opened to his sanctum, he pulled out the case that contained his zero costume. He opened it, dropping the robe. He pulled on his pants, face straight. As he donned the suit, he thought out what was happening.

The light flipped on, and Lelouch looked to see Kallen. He turned away and walked over to the stainless steel machine drawer, opening a shelf at a time, pulling out a few gadgets.

"Cornelia issued a challenge for you to appear in Britannian square," Kallen said, walking over in her pajamas, a pink robe billowing around her as she walked towards Lelouch. "Shouldn't you be with Euphemia right now?"

"The sooner I've destroyed Britannia, the sooner I can be with my wife," Lelouch said, sternly.

"Wife. I thought you were just engaged," Kallen said, sitting down in front of the computer.

"We promised to each other at the funeral. It's strong enough for me," Lelouch said. "Britannian square is the center of the city. She's more desperate than I thought. She thinks that Zero will make an appearance based on his own confidence. She's given up hunting me, now she's trying to trap me."

"But the bait's not strong enough," Kallen said. "You're not stupid enough to appear in front of that many people with no reason." Lelouch turned to her, surprised, as he pulled on his boots over his socks. Kallen began to spin in her chair.

"You're not wrong. The bait isn't good. She's clutching at straws," Lelouch said, walking over to the computer. "But it's also Zero. He can't be thought some kind of coward. If he appears and makes a fool of them, however, he's a genius." He began to type, and a file on Cornelia appeared. "'The Goddess of Victory.' She prefers combat. This hunting one man, it's not her style. But I've also been very bored. Help me with this for a second," Lelouch asked. He walked over to the camera facing a piece of the wall painted black. Lelouch pulled on his helmet, then threw his cloak around his shoulders, closing it at the chest.

Lelouch stepped up to the camera, plugging a flash drive into the side. He stepped around the tripod, facing the camera, then backed up to the wall. He nodded at Kallen, who pressed the play button.

" _A challenge to combat from the Goddess of Victory. I'm honored, Cornelia li Britannia. In the interest of showing the people of Britannia my resolve..."_

0.0.0

Reis Diethard was awakened suddenly as he was pulled from his bed. He was thrown to the floor, screaming, dressed only in his boxers. Crawling suddenly against the wall, he saw the dark figure that had awoken him. Zero side-stepped until he was near the center of the room, dominating the small bedroom with his presence. Diethard looked around, spotting the small phone by his bedside. Zero looked to where Diethard was, then back to him.

" _Don't worry, I've made sure our conversation won't be interrupted,"_ Zero said, calmly sitting down on the foot of Diethard's bed, crossing his legs. _"It occurred to me that we never talked since I gave you my little lesson."_

Diethard merely backed further into the corner away from Zero, murmuring in terror.

" _FOCUS!"_ Zero shouted, making the former reporter jump. _"You have one chance to survive."_ He held up a flash drive, planting his elbow on his knee as he leaned forward. _"This is a message for Cornelia this morning. You will play it exactly as I want, or you can die now, and I'll have someone else play it for me anyway."_

"Don't hurt me," Diethard squealed. Zero held the flash drive to him. Diethard nervously took it, and Zero grabbed his wrist.

" _Britannian Square. At noon. I know you can play the meeting across the empire. Use the Omega Protocol if you have to. I've told you what I'll do if you don't play it."_ Zero stood up, making Diethard try to get closer to the corner. Zero knelt down directly in front of Diethard, cornering him. _"What time?"_

"Noon," Diethard confirmed, whimpering fearfully. Zero nodded and stood straight.

0.0.0

Jeremiah was reading an excerpt from from a report. He took a sip from his scotch and winced then smiled as it burned down his throat. He heard the click of a door opening and closing, and reached for his service pistol. He carefully stood, not making a sound. He began to head for the hallway when the cloaked figure of Zero walked out of the hallway. Jeremiah sighed and lowered the pistol as Lelouch removed his helmet, revealing his face.

"You could've warned me you'd be breaking into my house," Jeremiah said, wearily. Lelouch merely stepped past him and sat down on the couch opposite of where Jeremiah had been sitting. "No, please, take a seat."

"I paid a visit to our dear Mr. Diethard. I'm going to play Cornelia like a harp," Lelouch said quietly. He set his helmet down beside him.

"Did Diethard squeal?" Jeremiah asked, sitting down, pouring himself a few fingers more of the scotch he'd been drinking.

"Like a stuck pig," Lelouch said, grinning. "Got another glass of that?" Jeremiah pulled another glass and poured a small amount of the scotch, offering it to Lelouch. Lelouch took it and downed it in one drink, sighing.

"Cornelia won't be happy after this, will she?" Jeremiah asked, sitting down.

"I can only suggest staying out of the way," Lelouch said, smiling. "What else do you know of Marianne's death. Who handled the security? Who did the investigation?" Jeremiah frowned. He swirled the glass in his hand, then set it down, sighing.

"I know only that Cornelia was in charge, and performed the investigation. I later met her in the Arabia campaign. She had kept investigating for over five years. She never discovered anything." Lelouch frowned at Jeremiah's words. He reached into his coat and pulled a cell phone out. He tossed it to Jeremiah.

"It's encrypted and untraceable," Lelouch told the knight-commander. Jeremiah examined it. "If I need a favor, I'll call you. I'll try to be reasonable, for your sake." Jeremiah nodded as Lelouch stood.

"If I need a favor?" Jeremiah asked as Lelouch turned to leave, donning his helmet.

" _I'll do my best."_ Zero said as he walked out. _"I need to get to Britannian square, I have a plan to execute. Try to keep your knight-police in the barn tomorrow."_

0.0.0

Cornelia li Britannia stood in the center of Britannian Square, surrounded by Guilford and three of the best of the Glaston Knights. Four Sutherland watched from the four corners of the square as people walked through. Cornelia kept an eye on the erected barriers to keep the commoners out of the way.

0.0.0

Euphemia awoke and immediately felt Lelouch's absence from the bed. She wrapped the black sheet around herself and sat up, looking around, her hair swinging around her head as she did. She found and flipped open the cell phone Lelouch gave her, trying to call him.

0.0.0

Lelouch stopped talking to Kallen as he felt his cell buzzing. Checking the caller ID, he frowned and rejected the call. He didn't have time for a heart-to-heart. He looked back up at Kallen and nodded, who turned and walked to the Glasglow sniper type.

0.0.0

Cornelia looked up in surprise as the massive screens in the square turned black, emitting white noise. Zero's face appeared against the black backdrop. Cornelia scowled. She should've figured the coward wouldn't show in person.

" _A challenge to combat from the Goddess of Victory. I'm honored, Cornelia li Britannia. In the interest of showing the people of Britannia my resolve,"_ said the massive Zero on the screens, _"by not only accepting, but challenging you to a duel without Knightmare Frames."_ With this, Zero suddenly emerged, jumping from above the screen, holding a rope as he fell, his cloak opened like wings of some ancient demon. He landed, dropping to one knee before Cornelia and her knights. Zero rose slowly before them, his cape straightening around him as he rose slowly. The Knightmare Frames began to aim at him, preparing to fire.

"Stop!" Cornelia said, raising one of her white-gloved hands. The Knightmares lowered their rifles, standing down. Cornelia smiled, impressed. "You actually made an appearance. I'm relieved that you just appeared. I accept your challenge to a duel."

"No my lady! Let me fight in your place!" Guilford argued, worry seeping into his voice. As he had spoken, he took a step to stand between the cloaked figure and Cornelia.

"I'll be fine, Guilford," Cornelia said, gently pushing him aside. "A sword, please." Guilford frowned, pushing his glasses up, but offered his sword nevertheless. Zero drew his own blade, a deep purple blade with black-iron furniture.

Cornelia took her stance, both hands grasping her sword. She raised it above her head as she assumed her stance. Zero nodded once, and assumed his own, drawing his blade back in a stabbing stance. Cornelia began to step toward him. Zero merely watched her. Cornelia frowned and began to swing her sword downward. Zero spun with his sword, deflecting, then counterattacked in a horizontal cut. Cornelia ducked backward, avoiding the blade, then stepped even closer, swinging the pommel of the sword at Zero's shoulder.

The black figure lowered his head, knocking the pommel away with his helmet, then stepped back, deflecting the next three attacks one handed. Cornelia stabbed out angrily. Zero deflected the stab, leaning into put his face up against hers.

" _Don't give in to anger,"_ Zero said, teasing her. _"Remember what you were taught._ "

Cornelia gritted her teeth. Zero carefully stepped away, turning his back on her as he walked away. Cornelia tried to stab, Zero deflecting the attack without looking, then spun, cutting. The tip of the purple blade caught Cornelia's cloak, and the white cape fell away. Cornelia retreated quickly, her hand at her throat to make sure she wasn't cut. Zero put his blade up in a salute, waiting.

"Skillfully done," Cornelia admitted, gripping her sword with both hands. Zero nodded once, still waiting. Cornelia assumed another stance with the blade in front of her, carefully advancing again. Zero swung the blade to his side, startling Cornelia with the movement, freezing her advance for a moment. She gritted her teeth and continued to advance slowly. Zero raised his sword, stepping forward, touching his blade to hers, running it up and down her own. Cornelia swung attacking with both hands. Zero blocked, and the two continued to fight with their swords.

"You fight like a Britannian. A Knight," Cornelia noted as they paused from their back and forth. Zero merely circled her, raising his blade above his head, double handed. Cornelia raised her own blade, circling him.

" _You don't fight that well. You've been fighting from your Knightmare too often,"_ Zero said. Cornelia frowned, trying to keep her mind focused. She swung at the same time as Zero, locking their blades together, face to face. _"You're not as good a blade as the lady Marianne."_ Cornelia's eyes widened, and he dropped his pommel on her head, stunning her, then slashed with his sword. The blade emitted a whine as it swung, and it hit her blade, cutting it off at the hilt. Cornelia was suddenly tripped, and she hit her head, then looked up to see Zero with his sword's tip at her throat. _"Yield."_

0.0.0

Euphemia inhaled as she saw Zero with his sword at Cornelia's throat. No, she thought, terrified, don't kill my sister, Lelouch.

'Zero has defeated the princess in the duel, and is holding her at bladepoint!' the reporter said, his terror mimicking Euphemia's own.

0.0.0

"Put down the sword, terrorist!" Guilford said angrily, aiming at Zero. The four Knightmares wheeled forward, aiming their assault rifles. Zero nodded, twising his head to the side, and raised his sword from Cornelia's throat, sheathing the blade. He backed up a step, leaning down to offer Cornelia a hand. Cornelia rolled to her feet, ignoring the hand.

"You mentioned the lady Marianne," Cornelia demanded angrily. Zero remained silent.

" _I won the duel, Cornelia. My reward is one answer from you,"_ Zero said, wrapping his cloak around himself as he spoke. A hatch in his visor opened, revealing a red eye with a v symbol. _"Now Cornelia li Britannia, answer my question!"_

"Go on," Cornelia said, her irises tinting red as the Geass took effect.

" _How was Marianne killed? Why didn't her security protect her?"_ Zero asked, angrily.

"The security was pulled back that day," Cornelia said, monotone. "I personally saw to it, under orders."

" _What?!"_ Zero replied, shocked. _"Who gave you those orders? Who wanted her dead?"_

"The order came from...Marianne," Cornelia said, her brow furrowing. "Schneizel took care of the body, and he guarded Lelouch and Nunnally while the mansion was secured." Lelouch's eyes widened. Marianne asked Cornelia to lower security? Why? And Schneizel had taken care of him and Nunnally? Lelouch couldn't remember that. And his own Geass command should have allowed him to remember that.

Cornelia seemed to wake up, and suddenly pulled her pistol, aiming at him. Lelouch pressed the small signal remote in his cloak. Before Cornelia or the Knightmares could fire, two of the Sutherland were suddenly decapitated by high-caliber sniper fire, causing their auto-eject to activate. Guilford yanked Cornelia into cover as Kallen opened fire with the assault rifle in her Glasglow's hand.

Lelouch ran as the Knightmares on the street began to open fire. Kallen fired the Glasglow's sniper cannons, disabling the other two.

'Lelouch, I've taken out the Knightmares,' Kallen yelled in Lelouch's ear as he evaded the pistol fire of the Glaston knights as they covered Cornelia.

" _Good. Fall back to the rally point and extend your stirrup,"_ Lelouch said, reminding her of the plan, rather than ordering her. Kallen acknowledged with a roger. Lelouch ducked in an alley as he saw a squad of soldiers running right at him. Lelouch turned as he saw it was a dead end. He'd planned for this. Drawing both of his pistols turning and aiming. As the soldiers entered the alley Lelouch began to shoot, killing them with one shot apiece, carefully aiming. As soon as there were no more coming, Lelouch ran from the alley, using his miniature slash-harken to allow him to round the corner faster as he dodged assault rifle fire. He saw the long stirrup hanging just above the sidewalk. He jumped and grabbed a hold of the horizontal bar. Kallen yanked the stirrup back up, pulling Lelouch with it.

The Glasglow had it's cockpit open, and Lelouch got into the gunnery seat behind Kallen's driver seat. The hatch closed behind Lelouch as he pulled his helmet off, taking a deep breath. He saw that Kallen had taken off as soon as the cockpit hatch closed.

"Stay on the rooftops," Lelouch ordered. "Their Knightmares are faster and more maneuverable. Our only edge is the cannons. If we lose them, we'll need to evade them the old fashioned way." He peeked over the driver's seat to see Kallen's driving. She was a natural, Lelouch had to admit.

"I'm running out of rooftop," Kallen said, matter-of-factly. Lelouch looked at the rear-view camera to see two Sutherland chasing them below on the street.

"You ever driven in reverse?" Lelouch asked, thinking aloud. Kallen looked over her shoulder at him briefly, and winked. He smiled. "Get on the street, and give me the rifles." Kallen flipped some switches, and a secondary screen lowered down for Lelouch, along with a pair of control sticks for the sniper rifles and the assault rifle. Kallen jumped the Glasglow down, rotating 180 degrees. Lelouch fired the sniper rifles, disabling them both. Kallen continued to drive the Glasglow backwards as Lelouch fired as four more Sutherland were trying to catch them, firing. Their aim wasn't as good as the sniper type's and Lelouch took down one after another.

"Another few hundred feet and they won't be able to track us," Lelouch declared as they took some fire, rocking the Knightmare Frame around them. Lelouch returned fire, and the Knightmare rocked again, a siren sounding. Lelouch cursed.

"What is it?" Kallen asked, yelling. Lelouch checked her screens to see how far she was.

"We just lost our rifles," Lelouch admitted. He continued to fire with the assault rifle, but it had merely been patched into the Glasglow's operating system, it wasn't correctly calibrated. He managed to take out the next two, leaving just the one. Then the rifle clicked empty.

"We're out of ammo, Kallen. Can you use your slash-harkens to take the last one out?" Lelouch asked, closing the screen. Kallen frowned.

"Do we have a choice?" Kallen asked.

"Remember my prison? It'll be worse if we choose to surrender," Lelouch told her, somber. Kallen's face hardened. "Think of how he would react. You can beat him, but you'll need to plan your actions ahead of his. I'll help you." Kallen pulled on the back of one of the reins, spinning the Glasglow around. She threw the rein forward, throwing a punch, nailing the Sutherland. The newer Knightmare reacted, one of the batons from its forearm extending.

"Dodge it and fire your harkens, hit the chest and head," Lelouch advised. Kallen did so, barely missing the swinging baton, and pressed her triggers, firing both harkens. The first missed, but the second hit, ripping the head off of the newer machine. The damage triggered the auto-eject, the torso being blown apart by explosive bolts as the cockpit was launched by rocket boosters. Kallen turned and drove the Glasglow away, fast as she could make the machine run.

"We're out," Lelouch announced. "Good driving." Kallen just continued to focus on driving.

0.0.0

Euphemia was waiting in Lelouch's sanctum as the red Knightmare entered the large garage-like room. The red machine knelt and it's cockpit hatch opened, the two seats sliding from the back, revealing Lelouch and Kallen, uninjured. Lelouch dropped to the floor, then caught Kallen as she did the same. Setting Kallen on her feet, Lelouch began to peel off his gloves. He saw Euphemia's angry expression as he threw his cloak off.

"I left Cornelia alive," Lelouch said, defending himself in irritation. "And I could have killed everyone in that square just by looking at them." Euphemia just looked at him, angrily. Lelouch slammed down his gloves, making Euphemia jump.

"You could have told me, at least," Euphemia said, quietly. Lelouch frowned, angrily. His jaw twitched and he kicked his steel drawer on wheels into the wall, making the sanctum resound with the loud clanging.

"Dammit!" Lelouch shouted, angrily. "How come you being mad at me pisses me off so damn much?!" Lelouch threw his hands up in the air, sighing. Kallen sat down, undoing the neck of her armored jumpsuit. Lelouch went to sit at his computer, pulling up various files as Euphemia watched, his back to her.

"I'm sorry, Euphemia," Kallen said, seriously, "but it's a good cause-" Kallen cut off as Euphemia raised a hand, making Kallen stop, frowning.

"Don't support him," Euphemia warned, her anger making her voice quiet. "Kallen, I need to discuss something with my husband privately." Kallen made to leave, standing.

"Don't leave, Kallen. I want to bounce my thoughts off of you," Lelouch said.

"Leave," Euphemia added. Lelouch turned in his chair.

"This isn't your house, Euphemia," Lelouch said, monotone. He spun back around and continued typing, ignoring her again.

"You left me in bed while you went and made a plan to attack my sister. My sister, who was knighted right beside you, by your own mother. Your best friend."

"And where was my friend," Lelouch shouted, growling, whirling and standing to face her, "when they locked my head into a helmet? When they made me give orders to their prisoners to test what I could do? Where were my friends, then, Euphemia?" Euphemia couldn't reply against Lelouch's argument. Lelouch stepped up closer to her. He pulled back his hair, stepping close enough to Euphemia to grab her hand. He pressed her bare fingers against his temple. She felt the small irregularities in his skin, the shift in color.

"These were given to me in that hell," Lelouch told her. He moved her hand to his chin, where more scars were. He dropped her hand, letting go of his hair, letting it return to framing his face as he stepped back. "That was nothing, Euphie. It's not pain that makes one break. The mind is the source of all strength. Give it impossible choices, bend it, confuse it, and eventually you break it." Lelouch pulled a pistol and held it to his temple. Euphemia took an involuntary step forward. Lelouch just kept his gun to his head, matching her worried gaze. Kallen just looked nervously between them.

"That's hell, Euphemia," Lelouch said, lowering the pistol. "That's where I lived for five years." He set the pistol down on the table, then returned to his chair. "Cornelia told me someone ordered the security around Marianne lowered. Cornelia obviously did it. I wasn't surprised that someone ordered the security down. But Cornelia told me who it was. Marianne ordered the security down." Euphemia reacted in shock, suddenly unable to speak. Marianne lowering her own security?

"Was it some kind of coincidence?" Kallen asked, beginning to strip off her outer layer to reveal some work-out clothes underneath. Lelouch turned to her, frowning in thought.

"I don't believe so," Lelouch said. "Someone or something is pulling the strings."

"Did Marianne do it herself, or was it some kind of Geass?" Lelouch cocked his head to the side as the thought occurred to him. He spun in his chair, thinking.

"Lelouch vi Britannia, Lelouch vi Britannia," Lelouch muttered to himself as he spun. He stopped himself from spinning with a foot. "Geass is the power of the king. I've seen Geass capable of manipulation, like mine, but mine's one of the strongest I've known."

"How is it made that strong?" Kallen asked.

"C explained it to me in the fourth year," Lelouch said aloud, folding his hands as he leaned back in his chair. "Each Geass is different and unique. Even similar Geass can be radically different in how they operate. Mine is one of two that C gave. C is the longest living immortal, her contracts are stronger. And it's based on the person's mind. But if someone used a Geass on Marianne, they would've been observed. I still think it was someone in the Royal Palace. Two more to ask. And they'll be the most difficult."


	12. Turn 12

**The Black Knight**

Disclaimer: the following is non-profit fan-based fiction. Please support the official release.

 **Turn 12**

Lelouch awoke to his empty bed. He inhaled against his pillow, his breath rasping against the fabric. He sat up, remembering Euphemia's leaving the mansion.

" _I need to think about things, Lelouch," she told him. Lelouch frowned, trying to embrace her. She wrapped her arms around herself, recoiling from his touch. Lelouch backed away._

" _You're having second thoughts," Lelouch guessed, grinding his teeth with his mouth closed. "I didn't want to drive you away."_

" _I just need to think, Lelouch," Euphemia repeated, reassuring. "I still love you, I just can't think about it while I'm taking over the Prime Minister position. I'll try to call you before I get to bed each night. And I'll keep your identity secret." Lelouch reacted with surprise. "I promised you."_

Lelouch frowned, feeling her absence deeply. He rolled out of his bed, landing to his feet, standing with a grimace. He pulled on his purple robe, leaving it hanging open. He walked barefoot out into the main house. He sat down on the couch, sighing as he did. He leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. He saw Kallen walking down the stairs, dressed about the same as he was, her usual robe, and a pink silk nightie.

"How'd you sleep?" Kallen asked, friendly. Lelouch grimaced.

"I know I've only been sleeping with a bed mate for a few weeks, but I'm already used to it, rather than sleeping alone," Lelouch said. He tied his robe around himself. Kallen walked over and sat down next to him, smirking politely. Lelouch turned, leaning against the corner of the couch, his arm on the back of the couch.

"So, what do the black knights do today?" Kallen asked. Lelouch smiled.

"You've adapted pretty quickly to being a Black Knight. Today I was going to teach you some more of our organization," Lelouch said. He stood and offered her his hand. Kallen took it for support as she stood, letting go of it as she followed Lelouch to the elevator. "My sanctum you know. It's for my personal use, though, not for the main body of the knights." Lelouch pressed a button on the elevator, the doors closing.

"Do they know you're a prince of Britannia?" Kallen asked.

"Of course," Lelouch said, surprising her. "The mask is not for them. The leader of the Black Knights is meant to command the shadows themselves. He exists in those shadows."

"From out of darkness, our blades light the way," Kallen muttered to herself, remembering her oath binding her to the Black Knights. Lelouch smiled, proudly.

"That's my favorite line," Lelouch said. The elevator opened, revealing a large room with various maps and computers. "This is our Pendragon Bureau. It's an entire floor, containing our barracks, armory, communications. Speaking of the armory and communications, we should procure you a sword." Lelouch led her into a hallway, into a larger room with various weapons of all kinds. A single man in glasses. "Billy here encrypted your phone. He's a genius with technology and numbers."

"Hey, Lelouch," Billy said, smiling. Lelouch nodded. "Sword for the new recruit then, is it?" Lelouch nodded again. Kallen looked nervously at the rack of swords that hung on one wall. Billy gestured for her to pick whatever she wanted. She walked over to the rack of swords, looking nervously from one blade to the other. They were various lengths and styles, and Kallen just wound up being more daunted. Lelouch walked around and pulled one, inspecting it, and handed it to her. She held it, unsure, as Lelouch pulled one for himself.

He swung, tapping Kallen's sword. Kallen backed up, taking a grip as she held the sword in front of her. He took a double handed stance, lowering into a bent-knee stance. Kallen swung the sword, and Lelouch blocked, holding up a hand.

"When you swing, twist the blade so your edge is aimed where you want to cut. When you block, twist the sword so the enemy blade hits the flat side of the blade," Lelouch said, pointing with his finger at the edge then the side, respectively. Kallen tested, tapping Lelouch's blade with the edge, and Lelouch swung back, and Kallen slowly blocked. They briefly sword fought, Kallen being much worse than Lelouch. He suddenly replaced his own sword. He pulled a short katana from the wall, holding his hand out for her sword. "This is a wazikashi. It's faster, and is more in line with the Guren. Tohdoh would be a better teacher for you with this weapon." Billy nodded as Kallen took the wazikashi from Lelouch. He smiled, and gestured for her to follow him.

He led her back to the main room, where Tohdoh was examining the maps, his arms crossed.

"Our main forces are in China. We form the elite special forces of the Imperial Chinese Army. We own twenty different companies, most of which I started to support us. All of our Knightmares are provided by Rakshata Clandra and her company in India. She designed your Guren." Kallen absorbed this. Then Lelouch headed for the elevator again, stepping in.

"Now what?" Kallen asked, almost skipping after Lelouch, drawing a chuckle from him.

"Now," Lelouch said, pressing the top button on the console, "I'll show you what your oath means. Head up and get dressed. Meet me downstairs in fifteen minutes."

0.0.0

Charles zi Britannia faced the council of Ministers, Nunnally and Euphemia standing to either side. Jeremiah looked around to see them all here. Even Schneizel. He wondered if anyone had a clue as to the identity of Zero.

"Gentlemen," Charles began, "since Odysseus's death, the position of my hand is left unfilled. As of this moment, I have two new hands. My gentle daughters, Euphemia and Nunnally, shall rule Britannia as my Prime Ministers." Jeremiah stood and bowed. The rest of the ministers took his lead, standing and bowing to them. Jeremiah straightened and sat down, recrossing his legs. Charles nodded in thanks. Euphemia sat at the throne beside Charles's left arm.

"Now, what of the terrorist. Any news on his capture?" the Emperor asked, his eyes watching Jeremiah carefully.

"We've begun to focus on the motivation for his acts," Jeremiah explained. "We don't believe these are unguided actions. Perhaps someone is commanding the terrorist. Either way, if we are able to find his exact motivation, we can predict his movements. We have made some progress, but very little to apprehend him."

"Coordinate with the Ministries of Intelligence and Defense. Zero's attack earlier has made this more than a mere criminal investigation," the Emperor ordered.

"Yes, your highness," Jeremiah said, respectfully. Charles nodded to Euphemia, who stood again, ready to speak.

"I will be visiting the leaders of the Chinese Empire and the India Federation, to announce a new tact for Britannia. Zero was able to become a threat because of support from the people. To defeat him we must also garner support from the people.

"To that end, I'd like to propose to Parliament a new set of laws, allowing non-Britannians to achieve a citizen status in our legal system. The Honorary Britannian System will create better equality for those who are not born in the empire." Schneizel smirked, amused.

Audacious, Jeremiah thought. Giving Numbers the ability to join the empire as citizens instead of being merely a denizen of the empire. It was very risky. He glanced at Nunnally.

"I agree with Euphemia's idea," the younger princess said aloud.

"Quite a coup," Charles said, smiling. "You proceed with my blessing. Euphemia, Nunnally, I leave it in your capable hands."

As Schneizel and Jeremiah walked out of the council room, Jeremiah kept an eye on Schneizel. The now oldest-prince of Britannia was only a shining paragon of nobility on the outside. The silver-prince had a survival instinct like a snake's.

"The Prime Ministers' plan is very audacious, don't you agree?" Jeremiah asked, testing Schneizel as they walked along the hall.

"Indeed," Schneizel said, smiling in amusement.

"You approve?"

"If it worked it would be exactly as the Emperor said. A coup." Schneizel turned down another hall, where a dozen assistants and a blonde boy waited for him. Before Jeremiah could see anything else, the door was closed.

0.0.0

Kallen walked down the stairs as Lelouch stood, waiting in another of his black suits. He was checking a pair of pistols, then holstered them as Kallen joined him in the lobby. Kallen was wearing a leather jacket and a red skirt, with a simple blouse and her riding boots. He nodded, noting the red colors with the black of her jacket and boots.

"Give me your purse," Lelouch said. She handed it to him, and he set a pistol and a new wallet into a red purse and handed it to her. "Your old one was almost certainly known by now." He handed it to her. Lelouch set his own pistol inside his coat and straightened it to hide the gun. "Your Camille identity hasn't been compromised, so we're using it."

0.0.0

Suzaku and Cecile were sitting at a computer, working on the operating system of the Lancelot. Suzaku kept eying Cecile as they worked. Cecile just smiled at him whenever he glanced her direction.

"How long have you and Lloyd worked together, Miss Croomy?" Suzaku finally asked, politely. Cecile turned to him, smiling cordially.

"Since we graduated college," Cecile told Suzaku. "Why do you ask, Suzaku?"

"Just trying to figure you and Lloyd out," Suzaku said, looking at the white Knightmare Frame. "Are you lovers, or just co-workers?"

"Well, Lloyd's married, but he doesn't really be with her much," Cecile said, typing away at the computer. "Lloyd doesn't really like emotions and change. Both are things people cause more often than not. He enjoys machines. They are always understandable." Suzaku absorbed this, thoughtfully. "Suzaku, can I ask you a question?" Suzaku looked up, curious.

"This terrorist, Zero," Cecile began, tentatively, "what do you think of him and his ideas?"

"I'm a loyal soldier of Britannia," Suzaku said firmly. Cecile giggled, looking back to the computer.

"I'm not supporting him. I'm just thinking about whether Britannia's always right, the way they treat people like you, Suzaku," Cecile said. Suzaku just looked at her, frowning. Britannia wasn't always the best government. Suzaku looked down at his feet.

"I only wish they would treat the numbers better. Maybe that's why I'm glad I'm Euphemia's personal knight. If my people are able to become honorary Britannians, maybe we can regain some of our pride, as a people."

"You're a good person, Suzaku," Cecile suddenly said. Suzaku looked up in surprise. Cecile smiled at him, and he almost automatically smiled back.

"Okay everybody," Lloyd began shouting, in his usual eccentricity, "we're done for the day! Pack up, go home, hip hip hooray!" Suzaku looked from the odd designer back to Cecile, who smiled again. Suzaku stood along with Cecile, since their work was obviously done for the day.

0.0.0

Villeta was walking around the business section. She thought about how her search for Zero and Kallen Stradtfeld had hit a dead end. Two weeks and not so much as a red hair. She sighed, throwing her shopping bags in the back of her car. She closed the trunk, heading for a place to eat. A black sports-car pulled into a spot on the side of the street.

Villeta's eyes widened as she saw the girl getting out of the car. It couldn't be. Villeta wasn't that lucky! She quickly hid behind a corner, watching carefully as Kallen Stradtfeld got out of the car with a tall, lean, black-haired Britannian. You've just made a mistake, girl, Villeta thought, grinning to herself. As the two began to walk down the side-walk, Villeta watched them walk away until they were far enough, then began to follow them.

0.0.0

Ohgi watched Kallen and Lelouch walk down the sidewalk, flipping up the visor of his motorcycle helmet. Then he noticed the Britannian following them. She was beautiful, Ohgi thought to himself. Ohgi quickly parked his motorcycle and climbed off, following the Britannian. He'd come to keep an eye on Lelouch, but now he had to make sure he wasn't captured.

0.0.0

Lelouch and Kallen paused as they saw several men beating on one. Kallen could tell the one man was an eleven. Kallen's teeth gritted as she watched, disgust building up in her. The attackers were Britannians. Kallen began to step forward, her hands going into fists. Lelouch's hand stopped her.

"Look," Lelouch said. Kallen scanned the scene, unsure of what she was looking for. "A hot dog stand. That's often the best any number can aspire to in this country, and even then, serving the people who look down at you?"

"Then why don't you stop them?" Kallen asked, angrily. Lelouch eyed her, then looked back at the scene. He stepped closer to her.

"If you stopped them, would that eleven ever get any business? Would he be safe from reprisal?" Lelouch frowned. Kallen frowned, absorbing the new information. She looked down at the eleven. "Sometimes, you have to ignore the symptoms. Sometimes, you have to treat the illness, and let the symptoms resolve themselves." After a second, he spoke again. "Stay here." Lelouch walked over to the Britannians, his black coat billowing open as he did, his scarf trailing behind him.

"Aren't you guys a little bored of picking on the hot-dog guy?" Lelouch asked, using his Geass. The oppressing Britannians' eyes tinted red, and they stepped off.

"Yeah, let's get out of here," the tallest said, and they walked off, jeering and laughing. Lelouch looked down at the Japanese, smiling.

"Could I get a couple of dogs?" he asked cheerfully. The eleven nodded and quickly made two. Lelouch handed the eleven five bills worth a hundred crowns each. When the eleven tried to decline the money, Lelouch insisted, taking the two hot dogs. He carried them, one in each hand, over to Kallen, handing one to her. She gratefully took a bite out of the sandwich. "The numbers have learned that you can't fight. That's the difference. The Black Knights exist in darkness, you can't attack darkness. We take the burden on ourselves, because we can take it. We can make the choice that no one else can make."

0.0.0

Villeta watched the exchange, disgust in her eyes. An eleven and a Britannian, acting like friends. The fugitive girl was probably a prostitute anyway. As they continued to walk along the sidewalk, she kept following them.

0.0.0

Kallen was happily eating her hot dog as they walked. Lelouch kept walking, not eating. Kallen wondered if his dog was gross or something.

"We're being followed," Lelouch said, growling. "Don't look behind us. She's gotten lucky. Probably recognized you." Kallen eyed behind her, not turning her head. She couldn't look to see if they were indeed being followed. So she looked ahead, throwing the remains of her hot dog away as they passed a trash bin.

"What do we do?" Kallen asked quietly.

"You won't do anything. As soon as we seperate, go back to the car and call the mansion. Ask for someone to guide you through getting back to the mansion without being followed. I'll lead her off with Zero," Lelouch said. He pulled them into an alley. "When I say, go walk a circuit around the block to avoid her and get to the car." Lelouch pulled his backpack off of his back, unzipping it, pulling out his helmet. He examined it and looked to see a Britannian standing in the alley with them. He smiled, showing a predatory grin. "Go."

0.0.0

Villeta saw the fugitive girl come out the alley solo, and quickly began to walk over to the alleyway to make sure that the Britannian wasn't hurt. She peeked around the corner to see Zero standing in the alleyway, donning his cloak. Villeta's eyes widened as she ducked back, not looking in the alleyway. Zero...if she could track him, they might be able to capture him. She checked for her phone. It wasn't there. She silently cursed and looked again, to see Zero walking down the alleyway. Villeta followed him, passing a dumpster.

She followed Zero for three blocks, winding up in an abandoned city block. Suddenly Zero turned, and Villeta pulled her back up sidearm, readying to arrest the terrorist. She stepped out of the corner, shouting.

"Freeze!" she ordered, aiming carefully. Zero threw up his hands. Villeta approached him carefully. She grinned at him, mocking. "Not such an untrackable terrorist now, are you?"

"Actually," came a male voice from behind her, "that's a diversion." Villeta spun, eyes wide. She heard a gunshot and felt a bullet hit in her stomach. She bent over from the gunshot, crying out. Suddenly her pistol was yanked from her hand, and she fell backwards, landing on her back. The black-haired Britannian stood over her, grimacing, then walked past where she lay. The last thing she saw was a dark figure approaching her.

0.0.0

Ohgi knelt by the Britannian woman, assessing the damage. He needed to get her to a doctor. He picked the young woman up in his arms, carefully, and began to carry her back the way she came. He couldn't just let her die.

0.0.0

Lelouch was stuffing his zero outfit back in his bag. He looked at the Britannian, his eyes tinted red, and scowled.

"Don't remember this. If anyone asks, you just got drunk and went home," Lelouch ordered, zipping up his bag. He slung the bag across his back, walking away as the Britannian looked around in confusion.

0.0.0

Euphemia was packing a suitcase, humming to herself. She walked across the bedroom, passing Lelouch's portrait. Her hand, unconsciously, reached up and ran her hand across the painting. She froze as she realized what she'd done. She backed up and looked into the portrait's eyes. She ran her fingers up to the painting's cheek.

She thought about if she could forgive Lelouch, not for the first time. Her husband wasn't the same Lelouch from ten years ago. She heard footsteps behind her.

"Hi, Cornelia," Euphemia said without looking.

"Not exactly Cornelia," came Lelouch's voice. Euphemia spun in surprise, a smile hitting her face. She then paused as she remembered her train of thought. "Not my coldest welcome," Lelouch said in a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. Lelouch walked over and sat down on her bed, by her suitcase. "Going somewhere?"

"India," Euphemia said, somber. She hesitated. "Would you have killed Cornelia?" Lelouch frowned, looking back up at her.

"I wouldn't," Lelouch admitted. "I love you and Cornelia like I love Nunnally. But I can't stop because of you either. It's not for just me." He stood and walked over to her. Euphemia became aware of his body as he stood next to her, and her breath became short. Lelouch reached up to cup her cheek, and she leaned into it, sighing at his touch. His other hand gripped hers, and he leaned in, kissing her gently. She returned the kiss. When they broke off, Euphemia sighed, satisfied.

"Are you the same Lelouch that left?" Euphemia asked, softly. Lelouch smiled.

"I wish I could say I was. I've been through a lot," Lelouch said, still smiling. Euphemia frowned, leaning against his chest. "That's a pretty bad portrait of me," Lelouch said. Euphemia rolled her eyes, sighing. Lelouch chuckled. Euphemia wrapped her arm around his neck, the other pressing against his chest.

"Why did you come?" Euphie asked against his chest.

"I need you to ensure diplomatic relations with the Empress of China. Rolo might have been tracked. I need to make sure they are safe. I'm asking for Tianzi's sake. The people I'm worried about, they don't stop at merely defeating the enemy." Euphemia smiled and nodded. Lelouch smiled and walked over to her suitcase, investigating.

"Why are you looking at my clothes?" Euphemia asked, throwing the lid over the case. Lelouch smiled his devil's grin.

"I was seeing what color panties you packed," Lelouch said, deviously. Euphemia blushed. Lelouch stalked closer to her, looking at her greedily. "I wonder," Lelouch said, as he wrapped his hand around her waist, pulling her against him, "what color you're wearing right now." Euphemia backed away from him, trying not to give in to what her body craved from Lelouch. He merely followed her until she hit the wall. He began to sniff at her hair, her neck, his breath hot against her neck. Her breathing became short.

"Lelouch," Euphemia breathed in an almost moan. Lelouch's lips found her neck, kissing and suckling softly. Euphemia pressed her hands against the wall abover her head. Lelouch's hand slid up her body, his fingers curving around her back, his thumb on her front, pressing against her ribs, then under her breast.

"What color, Euphie?" Lelouch said against her neck. Euphemia sighed in pleasure.

"They're blue," Euphemia admitted, her eyes closing as Lelouch's lips met her neck again. Lelouch stopped and stood tall again, looking into his eyes. His knee pressed between her leg, all the way against the front of her panties. He cupped the back of her neck where her neck met the back of her head, and pulled her against his lips in a deep kiss.

"Be good while you're in India," Lelouch said, smiling, and backed away as Euphemia closed her eyes. When she opened them, Lelouch was gone, her window open.

0.0.0

Cornelia was working in her office, reading a military document as she rubbed the back of her neck. She took a sip of scotch, sighing as it burned down her throat. The lights suddenly clicked off, and Cornelia stood, alarmed. Her room should've been invulnerable to power loss. A black shadow walked across one wall, and Cornelia nervously reached for her pistol.

" _That won't help you, Cornelia,"_ came Zero's voice. Cornelia froze as the terrorist walked out of the shadow, his purple visor catching the moonlight. _"I came to ask if you saw my move in your chess game."_

"That wasn't for playing. It's my way of remembering my brother," Cornelia said, angrily. She stepped around her desk, facing the terrorist.

" _I apologize."_ Cornelia raised an eyebrow in response, cocking her hip as she set her fist on it. _"I'm glad you're not going with your sister to India. It'll make it much easier to implement my plan."_

"What plan?" Cornelia asked, suddenly stepping closer to Zero. Zero changed the subject.

" _You were close, your brother and you?"_ Cornelia gritted her teeth.

"Don't speak of my brother!" Cornelia shouted. Zero raised a pistol, warningly.

" _You aren't the only one who's lost people, Cornelia li Britannia,"_ Zero said. _"Don't cause any alarm, or your sisters will be attending another funeral."_ Zero lowered the pistol, holding it up to show he meant her no harm.

"Most people don't face their family's killers," Cornelia replied.

" _On the contrary, Cornelia, many of the people that are arrested,"_ Zero began, humor edging through his voice, _"Many of the numbers tortured for Britannia face their family's killers just before they are executed. Tell me, do they deserve justice?"_ Cornelia frowned, irritated at Zero's comments.

"Order requires sacrifice," Cornelia said, justifying her government's actions.

" _Sacrifice requires a greater goal,"_ Zero countered. _"Something this government seems to lack. If you had to kill one thousand innocent people to win, would you do it?"_

"No," Cornelia admitted. Zero sighed and shook his head.

" _I would,"_ zero said, oozing disappointment, _"Ends justify means. Because my ends are justice. When George Washington started his rebellion, he lost because he lacked the will to do what he needed to create his new nation."_

"Even if that means a deal with the devil?" Cornelia asked. Zero merely chuckled.

" _More than just a goddess of victory. Yes, even then, Cornelia."_ Zero began to walk away. _"Your brother. Would he be the prince, Lelouch vi Britannia?"_

"How would you know that?" Cornelia asked angrily. Zero looked over his shoulder at her.

" _It was on the television, Princess. Good night."_ The lights returned, and Cornelia saw that Zero's dark form had vanished. She gritted her teeth.

0.0.0

Ohgi looked through the window blinds at the dark-skinned woman lying in the hospital bed. Ohgi glanced, worried, as the doctor walked up to him. He turned as the doctor walked into the room, looking at Ohgi.

"Well, she's lucky you got her to us. She would've bled out a few minutes later," the doctor told Ohgi. Ohgi sighed in relief. "She's not out of the woods, but she'll be ready to go home with you as soon as she wakes up." Ohgi saw Lelouch enter the hallway, smiling to himself in his black suit, long coat, and scarf. Ohgi waved at Lelouch, and Lelouch nodded, walking over.

"What's up, Ohgi?" Lelouch asked, smiling. He looked at the woman and his smile disappeared.

"I found her in an alley, shot in the side. I had to get her to a hospital," Ohgi explained. Lelouch nodded at Ohgi, smiling again. He reached into his pocket and handed Ohgi a large stack of bills.

"Pay for the treatment, give them the address to one of my shell corporations if they need more," Lelouch said, smiling. Ohgi thanked Lelouch for the generosity, heading off to the billing section of the hospital. As soon as Ohgi left, Lelouch pulled out his pistol. She wasn't supposed to survive. If she knew Lelouch's face, Zero could be put into jeapordy. He entered the room. The woman was beginning to awaken, her long silver hair hanging over her head like a nun's habit as she slowly opened her eyes. Lelouch waited for the recognition to hit the woman's eyes, his pistol at his side.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked, nervously. Lelouch frowned in confusion. He instantly formed a dozen hypothesis. He had to test one. The girl may have lost her memory, or could have possibly not seen his face.

"I'm Sir Lelouch Lamperouge, of the Knight-Police," Lelouch lied, smiling. When the woman didn't react to the lie, Lelouch decided to try and continue. "Can you remember anything about the person who attacked you?" Lelouch turned away, placing his pistol back in his coat.

"Uh...no," she said. "I don't even remember how I got injured, or how I got here." Lelouch saw Ohgi returning, and turned back to the woman.

"Well if you remember anything, please try to contact me," Lelouch said, and turned and left. He intercepted Ohgi, grabbing his arm. "Keep her in your apartment. If she remembers anything, tell me." Ohgi absorbed this as Lelouch walked away. Did Lelouch somehow know this woman? Ohgi saw she was awake. He walked into the room, smiling.

"Hi," Ohgi said. The woman smiled back at him, tentatively. "Well, since I saved your life you could at least tell me your name." She frowned, looking down, trying to remember.

"I don't know," the girl admitted, scared. Ohgi looked at her in surprise, letting out a gasp. Ohgi thought about telling the doctor, but if he did, he wouldn't be able to keep an eye on her. Lelouch obviously was worried about her, and Ohgi needed to know why.

"Well," Ohgi said, smiling nervously, "I can't call you 'you' or 'girl.' Maybe we can give you a temporary name until you figure your real one out?" Ohgi chuckled nervously at the suggestion. She just smiled, nodding. "Well...my mother's name was Chigasa," Ohgi suggested, nervously chuckling again.

"Chigasa," the woman replied, smiling to herself. "It's okay," she said. She sat up, then offered her hand. Ohgi smiled and walked over, taking it.

"I'm Ohgi."

0.0.0

Kallen stood as Lelouch entered the living room, unwrapping his scarf from around his neck. He smiled at her and began walking over to his downstairs room. Kallen followed him, her boots clacking on the floor as she walked. Lelouch took out his pistol, thumbing the safety and removing the clip and round in the chamber before setting it on his dresser.

"I'm a little evil," Lelouch said, chuckling to himself as he took his coat off. "I saw Euphemia. I'm afraid to say I teased her."

"Ugh," Kallen said, disgusted with Lelouch. "You are evil. Is she coming over tonight?"

"No," Lelouch admitted, looking over at her sheepishly. "In the meantime, we've a coup to plan. Euphemia is heading to India, and if I know Cornelia, she will be accompanying Euphie."

"Euphie?" Kallen asked, bemused at the nickname. "What did they call you, Lulu?" Lelouch glared at her, and Kallen's eyes widened. "They did! You're nickname is Lulu!" Kallen laughed as Lelouch rolled his eyes, sighing in frustration.

"We'll be needing our uniforms," Lelouch said, changing the subject again. "Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords will be joining us. The Maharajah is...an acquaintance." Kallen was about to speak again, smiling, before Lelouch interrupted. "If you talk about my nickname again, I will throw you into that prison again. We're heading for India, pack some clothes. And your Black Knight uniform and sword." Kallen nodded, serious. Lelouch looked around, slightly embarrassed. "This might not look like it, but this is my bedroom, so..." Kallen nodded and turned to leave.

"Yes sir, Master Lulu," Kallen said as she left. Lelouch rolled his eyes as he opened his cell phone, dialing for a private flight to India.

0.0.0

Euphemia stepped out of her bathing room, dressed in a white silk nightie. She jumped when she noticed Cornelia in her room, then sighed, relaxing. Euphemia walked over to her bed, closing her suitcase and dragging the massive case down off of her bed.

"I wanted to ask if I could come with you to India," Cornelia said, smiling at her sweet sister. Euphemia looked back at Cornelia, surprised. "Just to get away from the terrorist problem. And I'll be able to help you talking with the Indian government."

"Sure," Euphemia said, smiling. Cornelia smiled and threw her arms around Euphemia, who smiled and returned the hug, giggling.

0.0.0

Lelouch was packing his helmet into his case as C entered his room, dressed in her straight jacket uniform. Lelouch looked at her, then closed his case, locking it. C sat down opposite of Lelouch, crossing her legs. Lelouch sat back, crossing his own.

"So, warlock," C said, teasing Lelouch, "how goes your plan?" Lelouch chuckled.

"It's going well," Lelouch said. "What do you want, witch?" C frowned at him, her yellow eyes narrowing at him.

"Have you thought that if V is in Britannia, he might be working for one of the royal family?" Lelouch frowned, no longer amused at the immortal sitting across from him.

"I have," Lelouch admitted. If V was working for a member of the Royal Family, that made them even more dangerous. V would no doubt give a patron a Geass to ensure their power. But a Geass would also make them much more dangerous rather than just being a powerful human. But if he didn't know the ability or weaknesses of that Geass, how could he fight it? "Does Geass have any weaknesses?'

"The weaknesses are limited to each Geass. You should remember that." Lelouch nodded, sighing. "And if you can't face that person, will you try to use me?" Lelouch considered that.

"Would you aid me if I asked?" Lelouch asked, curious. C was immortal and immune to all Geass, along with any weapons on the planet. C merely stared at him.

"I became your accomplice the moment I made my contract with you," C declared. Lelouch smirked, pleased and amused by her comment.

"Even if I have no intention of fulfilling your contract?" Lelouch asked. The contract was to grant C the ability to die, by taking on her code. "I won't. I don't want to be immortal. I've got too much life in me as it is. I don't want this pain for eternity, and seeing all my friends and family die around me. So, I'll help you with your freedom, but not your code. But I'll make a new contract with you. I will stop at nothing to help you to find your happiness before you leave the world." C looked at him in surprise, then smiled.

"I accept the terms of your contract!" C offered her hand. Lelouch took it, shaking it vigorously.

"We're leaving for India early in the morning," Lelouch announced. C let go of his hand and stood, smiling a small smile.

"I guess I better set an alarm clock then," C said, and walked out of the room. Lelouch adjusted himself on the bed, until he was reclining on the bed, a mound of pillows underneath his head. He leaned down, reaching in his nightstand, withdrawing a small photo album. He began to flip through pages, until he found a picture of himself and Euphemia, almost twenty years ago now.

They were both dressed in white clothes. Lelouch had remembered it was Easter that year. Lelouch's white suit matched Euphemia's white dress. Her pink hair was shorter, Lelouch's raven locks were much longer. Lelouch's hair had been almost as long as Cornelia's when he'd been eighteen. He smiled at the picture.

He flipped to another picture, of his younger sister Nunnally, in her ball gown, her eyes glimmering. Lelouch thought bitterly that he may never see those eyes again. Nunnally had been traumatized and crippled in the attack on Marianne. His eyes closed as the gunfire resounded in his mind. He touched the photograph, stroking the picture Nunnally's cheek. For the millionth time, Lelouch thought about telling Nunnally about Zero.

He slammed the album closed as he decided against it. If he talked to Nunnally, he'd be placing her in a position that Lelouch couldn't reconcile. This is for you, Nunnally, Lelouch told himself. But he couldn't involve her until he was done. And even then, maybe Lelouch would have to abandon Nunnally to a better life on her own.

Lelouch stopped himself before he thought about his own future. He had to focus, he reminded herself, and the future was not in his plans currently.

Lelouch clicked the lamp off, and laid down into his bed, joining the darkness as he drifted into unconsciousness.


	13. Turn 13

**The Black Knight**

Disclaimer:Lelouch:the following is a non-profit fan-fiction. Please support the official release.

Kallen (offscreen): yessir, Lulu!

 **Lelouch gets angry, and his hair turns blonde**

Lelouch: what the hell?

 **Turn 13 Coup**

Lelouch, Tohdoh, Kallen and C stepped onto the runway, approaching a small private plane. Lelouch stepped up into the plane, and Kallen followed Tohdoh into the plane. She looked around, seeing the few chairs of the small cabin of the plane. Lelouch was setting his case above his chair, then locked it and headed into the back. Kallen set her duffel in a seat and followed him. Kallen came into a small bedroom, dominated by the bed in the center of the room.

Lelouch turned around and saw her, then looked at the bed, then to Kallen. Kallen put a clamp on her thoughts before it thought of something she wanted to avoid. She looked back at Lelouch, ignoring the bed.

"How often do you use this plane?" Kallen asked, distracting herself, smiling pleasantly.

"Not that often," Lelouch admitted. "I don't like leaving Pendragon, even temporarily." Lelouch began to stack pillows on the bed, arranging them before laying down, sighing. He rubbed his eyes, covering them from the sunlight. Kallen walked over and drew the small curtains over the porthole windows in the room. Lelouch patted the bed beside him, and Kallen rolled over onto the bed, laying beside him. Lelouch flipped on the remote, two televisions flipping onto the news, covering Euphemia's trip to India.

"I'm trying not to do something I'd regret," Kallen admitted. Lelouch looked over at her, his mouth open in surprise. Kallen glanced back at him, then turned her head to him.

"I never wanted to put you into this situation," Lelouch said. "I'm sorry that I had to use my Geass to try to make you forget it." Kallen frowned, looking back at the television. Lelouch sighed and looked back the television himself.

"I'm kinda jealous of Euphemia," Kallen admitted. "I still want you, but I don't want to destroy the relationship you and Euphie have, and I can keep you as a friend on the side."

"I figured you were," Lelouch admitted. "Father had at least ten wives by the time I left." Kallen looked at Lelouch, frowning. "We could, if you wanted."

"You'd just be trying to balance us," Kallen said, arguing against Lelouch's suggestion. "I thought you didn't want to do that. And do you really want to be like your father?" Lelouch looked at her, frowning himself. He reached up, his hand almost brushing her cheek before Kallen caught his hand, shaking her head sadly. Lelouch frowned and lowered his hand. Kallen looked away, and fought away tears. She was laying next to a man she loved, but he wasn't hers to touch.

"Maybe you should go," Lelouch suggested, sorrowfully. "I don't know if I can stop myself if we stay in here like this." Kallen peeked over at him, forcing back her tears to give him an annoyed look. He looked back at her.

"You try it and I'll tie you up until we get to India," Kallen threatened. Lelouch smirked at her attitude, amused.

"You and what frilly pink robe belt?" Kallen covered her face, remembering the occasion Lelouch was referencing. Lelouch chuckled at Kallen's reaction, then adjusted himself so he was more sitting than laying. "I think if you asked Euphemia she'd understand." Kallen scowled at Lelouch's second attempt.

"That's why I'm not going to call, and if you do I will leave." Lelouch sighed, looking over at her, his eyes shining in longing and regret. Kallen focused, making her body behave. She had to be the strong one, because Lelouch wouldn't be. Kallen crawled up, sitting herself so she was even with Lelouch. Lelouch leaned back, closing his eyes. Kallen watched the news, sighing in relief.

"I wish I could help you with this, somehow," Lelouch said, drawing Kallen's attention again.

"I told you, I'll be your friend. I'll find something for me along the way," Kallen said, aggressively. Lelouch kept his eyes closed, grimacing.

'Princess Euphemia will be accompanied by her knight, Suzaku Kururugi,' the television reporter said, and Lelouch's eyes opened at the mention of the Japanese knight.

"Suzaku," Lelouch said, remembering the name. "I never told you I knew Suzaku before I was exiled from Pendragon, did I?" he eyed in her direction, and Kallen shook her head, not looking at him. "This was before Britannia took over Japan. You'll know that obviously there was some interaction before, including an ambassadorship. Genbu Kururugi was the last ambassador of Japan before Britannia took it over for the sakuradite mines. Suzaku was about nine or ten, I was fifteen. Suzaku was learning kendo from Kyoshiro Tohdoh. I wound up visiting the Kururugi household more than once. Suzaku was a friend. And yet, he seems to not remember me. I wonder if our mysterious Geass user has something to do with that."

"He was a friend?" Kallen asked in surprise as the news changed to some celebrity news.

"Like a younger brother. I taught him some sword play. That's how he learned how to use the Britannian sword, rather than just the katana." Lelouch smiled at the memory, looking for all the world just like a young boy. Kallen's heart clenched at Lelouch's boyish face. Dammit Kallen, she thought to herself, looking away from him, keep it together.

"You know, being that I was often locked in sensory deprivation at the Geass Institute, a few of my senses were affected," Lelouch mentioned, drawing Kallen's attention again. "I can see in the dark pretty well, so I'm a bit sensitive to light. The other is hearing. You can try to tell me you don't want to be with me all you want, but your heart skipping a beat says a lot." Kallen inhaled, cursing internally. Lelouch looked at her, smirking to himself.

"Stop it," Kallen said, suddenly defensive. "We are not doing this," she said again. Lelouch's eyes narrowed. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and handed it to her.

"Call her," Lelouch said, daring her. Kallen frowned, before an idea struck her. She rolled, straddling as she set his phone on the stand next to the bed. With one leg on either side of Lelouch's waist, she looked him up and down in mock alarm. She leaned in, her breath becoming hard. Lelouch's breathing echoed her own, leaning in to kiss her. She dodged his kiss, putting her lips on his neck, kissing and suckling. Lelouch groaned, his hands finding her back and the back of her hair. Her own hands were on his shoulder, gripping them.

Kallen rolled her hips sensuously, rubbing her womanhood against Lelouch's front waist. Lelouch threw his head back, breathing her name as she worked her mouth on his neck. She reached a hand down, feeling between them. Her hand found his thickness bulging through the front of Lelouch's dress pants. She squeezed it, and Lelouch's back arched, pressing his chest against hers. Lelouch reached down, and Kallen grabbed the hand, pinning it aggressively to the wall above Lelouch's head. Kallen undid the front of her blouse, showing off her red bra, moving her breasts right in front of Lelouch's face, brushing his nose. Kallen moaned as Lelouch's lips planted a kiss on the red lace, then she lowered herself back down on her knees, sitting down on his manhood, pressing his thickness against her flower, causing a sweet pressure.

'Ladies and gentlemen, we'll be taking off momentarily,' came a voice of the public announcement system.

"Oh. Guess I'll have to go sit down," Kallen said suddenly, crawling off, leaving Lelouch stunned in surprise. He slowly realized what she was doing as she left the small bedroom, then followed her. Kallen was taking a seat as she fixed her blouse, re-buttoning it. Lelouch sat down across from her, watching her as she carefully ignored him.

"You bitch," Lelouch said, realizing what she had done. Kallen sniggered, trying to keep her face straight. "You're paying me back for teasing Euphemia?" Kallen shrugged, innocently. As the jet took off, Lelouch kept his glaring eyes on Kallen, who had to fight not to laugh.

"You're gonna pay for that," Lelouch declared quietly. Kallen looked over at him, amused.

"You and your wife?" Kallen replied. Lelouch's eyes narrowed in sudden thought. That scared Kallen. What the hell would Lelouch come up with? Sheer terror hit Kallen like a load of bricks as she thought about what Lelouch could possibly do to get her back.

0.0.0

Euphemia dragged her suitcase out of the back of the limousine. Cornelia had brought a small case, holding a few changes of clothing. Euphemia began to drop her suitcase when a white-clothed arm shot out and caught it. Euphemia spun to see Suzaku looking at her, smiling. Euphemia looked him up and down, surprised at how good he looked. He was the complete opposite of Lelouch, dressed in his white knight's uniform, his smile an expression of life. If sunlight could be emitted by a person, Euphemia decided, it would be Suzaku with his smile.

Lelouch was the moon, beautiful, but cold. Suzaku was the sun, warm and glowing. Whoever wound up with Suzaku was a lucky woman. Euphemia smiled sweetly at her knight. Suzaku held her large case at her side, almost effortlessly.

"How long will we be in India?" Suzaku asked, friendly. Euphemia frowned.

"Uh...just a few days," Euphemia admitted, sheepishly. Suzaku's eyes widened in shock, then looked at Euphemia's large suitcase in his hand, then back to Euphemia, incredulous. Euphemia blushed, embarrassed, and headed for the small plane. "I'm glad you're not too busy to accompany me," Euphemia said as Suzaku caught up beside her. Cornelia led them, Guilford following her dutifully.

"It's no problem my lady," Suzaku said, smiling as they approached the plane.

0.0.0

Hours later, Kallen was drinking a soda as she wondered back into the bedroom in the back. She found Lelouch sleeping on his side. She laid down on the other side of the bed, carefully, placing her hands between her head and the pillow, watching the dark-haired prince as he slept. She reached over and brushed a lock of hair out of his face.

"Why the hell do I torture myself like this?" she asked aloud, quietly. Lelouch was married, and she wasn't going to be a second wife to Euphemia, both for her sake and Euphemia's. So why was she still so close to Lelouch? Lelouch's eyes opened, and he looked at her for a few seconds.

"You're unhappy," Lelouch said, and Kallen nodded in agreement.

"I'm just thinking about why I stay close to you, when I know I can't be with you," Kallen told him, somber. Lelouch frowned, taking a breath.

"Why did I come back to Pendragon, after what happened to me?" Lelouch asked back. When Kallen shrugged, Lelouch continued. "I still wish I knew why. I could've stayed in China or India. Forgotten what they'd done to me, married, had a family. I could've been the supreme commander of the Chinese military. Or a C.E.O. of a business. But I don't think I could live with myself."

"That doesn't exactly help me," Kallen told Lelouch, who smirked. He stretched, placing a hand underneath his head, between his head and the pillow.

"I only act like I have all the answers," Lelouch said, admitting. "I don't know how to do it. I've slept with other people, even as I was pining for Euphemia. Life is complicated. I can only suggest living with no regrets. After that," Lelouch shrugged. He looked down towards the front of the plane, then back to Kallen.

"Are we there yet?" Kallen just shook her head. "Are you hungry?" Kallen shook her head again. Lelouch smiled again, keeping his eyes on hers.

"Can you tell me a story?" Kallen asked, just wishing Lelouch would keep talking. Lelouch smiled. He brushed a lock of hair from Kallen's face.

"To be honest, I'm starting to run out," Lelouch admitted. He frowned, thinking. "I wish your brother was still around. Naoto saved me from the institute at a time when I'd almost given up hope. I heard later that they'd been mostly destroyed. I didn't see Naoto before he died. When I got back, Ohgi was leading a few people. I made them black knights as soon as I found them."

"Zero, we're getting ready to land," came Tohdoh's voice. Lelouch grimaced and stood from the bed, Kallen sitting up to follow him. Lelouch walked into the main cabin, and pulled his case from the overhead rack. Kallen grabbed her own duffel as Tohdoh was taking his shirt off, his black knight uniform sitting folded on his chair. Zero headed back to the bedroom and set his case on the bed, clicking it open.

"Get changed, Kozuki," Lelouch said with authority. "The Black Knights are here to visit our Knightmare Frame Production facilities. It will be interrupted by the visit from the Britannian Princesses." Lelouch stripped off his shirt as he unpacked his zero outfit. Kallen pulled out her black knight uniform.

"Do you have a bathroom I can change in?" Kallen asked. Lelouch looked up at her, unbelieving. Kallen just met his gaze.

"We've had sex, multiple times, but you're nervous about changing in front of me?" he asked, incredulous at Kallen's shyness. Kallen finally sighed in frustrated agreement, unbuttoning her blouse as Lelouch removed his pants, leaving him in just his boxers. Kallen removed her sandals and pants, leaving her in bra and panties as Lelouch pulled on his purple Zero dress slacks. Lelouch looked her up and down, his lips curved on the corner of his mouth. Kallen gave him a glare as she pulled on the long black stockings.

Lelouch wrapped the white shirt on as Kallen pulled on her tiny skirt. Lelouch buttoned his vest as Kallen wrapped the top around her, buttoning it closed. Lelouch was pulling on a device around his neck, then wrapped his scarf around it, plugging his scarf-pin into the radio. He pulled on the purple jacket, then straightened it, running his hand over his front and sides. Kallen pulled on her boots and stood, her headband in her hand. Lelouch snapped his leather gloves onto his hands. He pulled the helmet up and set it on the bed, then dragged the long cape, wrapping it around his back. Kallen walked up behind him, reaching around to help straighten it. Lelouch turned, nodding. He reached around, grabbing hold of her headband. He carefully set it around her head, fluffing her hair up into her crimson mane. He placed his forehead against hers, making her breath short.

"Remember your oath. You're a Black Knight. You're the elite," Lelouch said quietly. Lelouch reached into his case again, withdrawing a black mask. "This is so you remember it." Lelouch banded it around her head, and Kallen looked through the black mask up at Lelouch and nodded, smiling nervously. Lelouch picked up his helmet, and placed it to his face. The back panel slid over his hair, leaving him encased in the helmet.

Zero stood before her, monolithic. Zero's absolute certainty hit Kallen, changing her own hesitation to certainty. Kallen turned, walking confidently into the cabin to see Tohdoh and C dressed in their own uniforms. Tohdoh's katana was at his side. Kallen grabbed her own short sword and tied it to her belt, behind her waist.

" _Tohdoh, you will go out first. Ensure the area is clear, then signal. Kallen and C will come out, then Zero,"_ Zero said, sitting down as the plane began to make it's descent. Kallen sat down across the aisle from him.

0.0.0

The Maharaja was a larger man, surrounded by aides as the plane came around. He was stroking his beard. Rakshata Clandra stood nearby, smoking her pipe as usual. As the door opened, four of the Black Knights walked up, standing by the stairs as they were lowered. Their swords ready, they bowed as another Black Knight stepped down, a large katana at his side. He looked around, then back to the plane and nodded. The Maharaja looked in interest as two women left the plane, one with red hair and the same visor as the rest of the Black Knights, the other green haired, mask less.

Zero emerged from the plane, and the Maharaja nodded at Zero as he stepped down. The cloaked figure walked towards the Maharaja, the Black Knights present stepping into formation behind him. Zero looked at Rakshata, over to the Maharaja's side. He offered a hand and Rakshata walked over. Zero gave her a bow as she took his hand.

" _Nice to see you again, Rakshata,"_ Zero said, ignoring the leader of India. _"I trust production has gone smoothly?"_

"I wish I could say so, Master Zero," Rakshata said, smiling politely. "It seems the Maharaja's new laws have caused difficulty." Zero looked at the Maharaja then.

" _What kind of difficulty?"_ Zero asked Rakshata, looking at the Maharaja.

"Our people have required some reminding of their station," the Maharaja said, smiling pleasantly. Zero nodded, then walked past the older Indian man, accompanied by the Black Knights and Rakshata. As soon as Rakshata and the Black Knights were inside, Lelouch removed his helmet.

"Has he been oppressing the people?" Lelouch asked Rakshata. Rakshata looked at him.

"He's been using slave labor, actually," Rakshata replied, her pipe in her mouth. Lelouch's face hardened, in anger.

"Then perhaps his usefulness has run its course," Lelouch said. "In the meantime, how many forces do we have in the country?"

"Over 100 commando units, Mister Zero," Rakshata replied. Lelouch nodded, absorbing this. That was twenty-five teams of commandos. Enough to destroy a country. "And enough Knightmare Frames to equip all of them. We have the Zangetsu and the Gekkas for Tohdoh and his squad."

"We have enough forces then to take over India entirely?" Lelouch asked. Rakshata smiled, coyly. "As soon as we have our captives, we won't be needing the tired old man."

0.0.0

Tomorrow morning Euphemia and Cornelia were walking down the halls to the dining room, flanked by Guilford and Suzaku. They entered the dining room. At one end was sitting the Maharaja, sitting in a golden robe, his white turban riding his head. Euphemia and Cornelia curtsied in their dresses, then carefully sat down on the pillows.

"Ah, dear Princesses," the Indian leader said, throwing his arms wide in welcome. "I'm glad you could join me. I always like having these kinds of discussions while dining."

" _That's unfortunate,"_ came Zero's voice. Cornelia stood as she saw Zero walking down the hall, flanked by two women as he stalked towards the dining room, as four soldiers with samurai swords walked into the room, taking up all four corners, drawing wary glances from the two knights. Zero sat down on the cushion across from the two princesses. Euphemia glanced at Cornelia, nervously.

"What are you doing?" the maharaja asked angrily, standing. "We had an agreement!"

" _Dear friend. When I came to this country, I gave you India as long as you ruled better than your predecessor. You seem to have failed me in that. It's truly unfortunate to put your own people through slave labor."_ Cornelia and Euphemia both looked at the leader as Zero spoke.

"I have done no such thing!" Zero raised a hand. And then one of the guard walked over and dragged the man away by the neck. Cornelia stood, worriedly. The over-weight man screamed as he was dragged from the dining room.

"What will you do with him?" Cornelia asked, aggressively.

" _Nothing. But I can't speak for his own slaves,"_ Zero said, surprising both princesses. _"Thank you for coming, Cornelia. I was hoping you would."_ Cornelia's eyes narrowed as she sat, realizing she'd fell for a simple trick. The two women that had accompanied Zero sat down to either side of him.

"What will you do with us then, Zero?" Euphemia asked, looking at him.

" _Oh, nothing. You're my prisoners at the moment, but no harm will be coming to you,"_ Zero said, fixing his cloak. _"I'm taking you to cause destabilization in the Britannian Government."_

"To what purpose?!" Cornelia asked, leaning forward in anger.

" _I'm going to kill the Emperor,"_ Zero answered honestly.

0.0.0

Charles and Schneizel were discussing the state of the realm when Diethard approached them. Charles and Schneizel both stood in the small room. Diethard began to work on the large television on the wall.

"Sire, we're receiving a video call from Euphemia and Cornelia in India," Diethard informed. The television clicked on to reveal Zero's mask. Charles's eyes widened in anger.

"Where are my daughters?!"

" _That's amusing, Charles zi Britannia. Where is your son Lelouch? Did you care then? Don't worry, no harm will come to them. On the condition that you surrender the Britannian government within 24 hours. Non-negotiable. If you do not, we will see what India really thinks of Britannian women."_ With that, the television went black. Diethard looked from Schneizel to Charles.

"Have a special forces squadron sent to India covertly to retrieve them," Charles ordered Schneizel. Schneizel just smiled.

"With respect, will we really risk a special forces unit and an international incident for two girls?" Schneizel asked. Charles whirled on him, angrily.

"We will, Schneizel, or you will forfeit your right to the throne!" Charles roared.

0.0.0

Lelouch removed his helmet and spun to face Tohdoh. The central office of the Indian Government wasn't quite to Lelouch's tastes. The desk was too small. Lelouch set his helmet down, looking up at Tohdoh.

"We'll only have twenty-four hours before special forces start showing up. Can we get everything out before then?" Lelouch asked his general. Tohdoh nodded, confidently. "Make sure." Tohdoh walked from the office, his hand on his sword.

Lelouch began to play with the desk, thinking through it. Without Euphemia and Cornelia, the Britannian government would be severely wounded. Lelouch knew what would happen, and he could manipulate those events. He was interrupted as he heard a voice in the radio.

0.0.0

Euphemia looked around the dining room, looking nervously at the guards. Lelouch wouldn't hurt them. But if father deployed the military... She couldn't let a war start in India, Britannia's one ally. She stood, placing her hands on the table.

"I need to speak with Zero!" she demanded. "Alone!" One of the guards talked into a radio. After a second, the leader of the guards, the Japanese sword at his side, emerged and nodded, gesturing for her to follow him.

"No!" Cornelia said, stopping Euphemia with her hand. "I will not let my sister be-"

"Cornelia, be quiet!" Euphemia shouted, stunning Cornelia. "I must speak with the leader, as Prime Minister of Britannia." With that declaration, Euphemia left the room, following the guard. The samurai, who Euphemia could tell was Tohdoh from her visits to the mansion, led her through a hallway into a office. Lelouch spun the chair around to face her, smiling. Euphemia gave a sigh of relief, and walked up to the office.

"Lelouch, you have to let us go," Euphemia begged, wistfully. "If you start a war in this country, it'll tear it apart."

"I know. We're losing this piece in the game either way," Lelouch told her, shocking her. "This is a move to capture the two queens of Britannia. Without you, Charles will be left to rely upon Shcneizel. That's my endgame." With this, Lelouch held up a radio, pressing the talk button. "Bishop to queen 3."

0.0.0

At the signal, the guards watching Cornelia and the two knights opened fire with tranquilizer guns, knocking all three people out. Cornelia staggered, still barely conscious, before another dart hit her shoulder, and she fell over with a groan.

0.0.0

"Now," Lelouch said, standing up. "Would you like to travel with Cornelia, or would you rather travel with me?"

0.0.0

Twenty four hours later, the Maharaja's residence was entered by a dozen special-forces soldiers, silenced assault weapons raised. As they got closer to the dining hall, one of the men heard shouting. He looked back at his teammate and entered the dining hall. Suzaku and Guilford were tied back-to-back, screaming.

"He tricked us!" Suzaku shouted.

0.0.0

Cornelia awakened in a strange bedroom, sharing the bed with Euphemia. She looked around, then noticed a black-haired man in the room with them, sitting in a small leather-upholstered chair, smiling at her. She looked around at the wood-sheathed walls and then back to the man, then nudged Euphemia awake.

"Good morning, sister," Lelouch said. Cornelia looked at her younger brother in confusion, not recognizing him. Her eyes widened as it hit her. She sat up, then crawled to the end of the bed, sitting with her legs hanging over.

"Lelouch," Cornelia said, acknowledging him in shock. Lelouch smiled wider and nodded, once. Cornelia gave a shouting laugh and jumped onto him, hugging her long-lost brother. "Zero captured you?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that, Cornelia," Lelouch said. Cornelia broke her hug, looking at his face for the first time in ten years.

"You look good," Cornelia said, touching his hair. "You cut your hair. It looks better this way. But we have to find a way out of here. Zero wants to destroy Britannia."

"Just as you know it," Lelouch replied, correcting her. "If you wanted to be more specific, he wants to overthrow it to create a better government." Cornelia leaned back on her one knee she had to the ground.

"Are you working with Zero, Lelouch?" Cornelia asked, wary of being hurt. Lelouch leaned back in his chair, frowning.

"It's quite complicated, Cornelia," Lelouch said. Then his eyes turned red, gaining a pair of V symbols. "I've been through quite a bit. You know how it started. My mother was murdered by a member of the Royal Family. You tried to search for the killer, but you never found anything. But you don't know what happened to me."

"You were sent to a special hospital for trauma," Cornelia said. Lelouch shook his head, his eyes burning. Cornelia stared at them, unable to process what they were.

"I was sent there to be silenced. But I escaped," Lelouch said. His face appeared to be politely smiling, but with the eyes it looked more like a devil's grin. "And I saw what Britannia has done to this world. For it's crimes, I will destroy Britannia, and recreate it, as Zero."

"You killed Clovis!" Cornelia said in shocked realization. Lelouch's eyes narrowed. "You killed Odysseus! Lelouch, how could you kill your own brothers?!"

"Quite easily," Lelouch replied. "As I will kill anyone who stands in my way." Cornelia stood and slapped Lelouch, knocking his head sideways.

"You're not my brother," Cornelia declared, her normal steely disposition cracking as she said the words. "You're a demon." Lelouch looked back at Cornelia, stone-faced.

"I am what was done to me has made me," Lelouch replied.

"What was done to you?" Cornelia asked, in angry disbelief. "Is that how you justify this?"

"What was done to me was monstrous," Lelouch replied, coldly.

"And they created a monster," Cornelia replied without a moment's hesitation. Lelouch frowned, wincing at Cornelia's turn around on him. He stroked his jaw where Cornelia had hit him.

"You loved Marianne, perhaps just as much as I did," Lelouch said, lowering his hand. "Did you cry for her? Did you want to rip the world apart to bring her back?" Cornelia backed up, scowling as she did, not answering.

"I know you would have," Lelouch said, watching her. "That's what I'm doing. Creating a better world. For Nunnally, and for the world." Lelouch stood, then walked over to Euphemia, stroking her hair. Cornelia stalked towards him, reaching for his hand. Lelouch caught her wrist before she caught his. He turned on her, twisting her arm up.

"We were raised together, we played together," Lelouch whispered, angrily. "Yet you would judge me for destroying a decayed country that condones slavery." Cornelia jerked her hand from his, meeting his angry gaze with one of her own.

"You killed my brothers," Cornelia hissed. Lelouch frowned.

"And you were my sister. We came from the womb the same month," Lelouch whispered back. Cornelia recoiled, grimacing. It was true. Lelouch was barely older. The two had been raised in the same room. Cornelia's mother had been distant, whereas Marianne was willing and able to raise them both. She had always thought of Lelouch as her twin brother. Lelouch's eyes returned to their normal purple. Cornelia frowned as her brother looked at her in anger.

"Why would I hurt you, or Euphemia?" Lelouch asked. "We were knighted together by my mother, and Euphemia is my wife." Cornelia looked down at her sister, and Lelouch's hands found Cornelia's shoulders. "Do you think me so different that I would go to these lengths to keep you two safe?" Cornelia looked back at him, not answering. Lelouch sighed, walking around Cornelia, headed for the door.

"I can't let you leave the mansion, Cornelia. If you need anything, knock on the door, the guard will see that you get what you need," Lelouch said from behind her. She heard the door open, and she turned, trying to say something, only to be cut off by the door closing.

0.0.0

Euphemia awoke to see Cornelia sitting on the edge of the bed. She sat up, and Cornelia felt the sensation, turning. When Cornelia saw her, she walked over, kneeling by Euphemia.

"Are you okay, Euphie?" Cornelia asked, concerned. Euphemia sat up.

"I'm okay," Euphemia said. She knew where they were. She'd seen these rooms before, and she knew how she'd gotten there. She saw Cornelia struggling with something. "What is it, sister?"

"Uh...Zero...he's..." Cornelia couldn't bare to say the words. Euphemia would be heart-broken.

"Lelouch," Euphemia finished, looking away in shame. Cornelia looked up at her in shock. She put two and two together quickly.

"You knew," Cornelia said, stating the obvious. "Because he told you?" Euphemia grimaced, hating that she had to keep this from Cornelia. Cornelia frowned, looking down. Euphemia looked back at her sister, sorrowfully.

"I'm sorry, Nelly," Euphemia said, using Cornelia's childhood nickname. Cornelia stood, stepping away from Euphemia.

"I should've known," Cornelia said, scowling to herself. "He moved the damn piece in my room. I should've been able to see it as soon as I saw the board." Then she smiled to herself, closing her eyes. "I must be getting senile in my old age."

"Lelouch is the same age as you," Euphemia pointed out, concerned for her sister. Cornelia looked at Euphemia, trying to contain her laughter. Euphemia caught her attempted restraint, and they both burst out laughing, and Cornelia sat down by Euphemia.

"So, Lelouch is alive," Cornelia said. "I'm glad that he is," she decided. Euphemia smiled and wrapped an arm around Cornelia. The two started laughing again.

"Can you forgive him?" Euphemia asked, hopefully. Cornelia paused in her laughter, thinking about it with a grin on her face. Lelouch was fighting against the institution. She remembered when she and Lelouch had been teenagers, rebels without a cause. Cornelia had eventually grown out of it, while Lelouch seemed to have found a cause. She thought of Nunnally, their little sister.

"I can. I may even actually do it eventually," Cornelia said. Euphemia smiled and hugged her sister, Cornelia hugging her back.

0.0.0

Lelouch listened, leaning against the door, and smiled. He backed away from the door, knocking. The giggling from the other side of the door abated enough for an invitation, and Lelouch opened the door. Cornelia stood as he entered, then Euphemia followed her example.

"Still got a soft-spot for Euphemia, I see," Lelouch said, crossing his arms, looking down his nose in amusement at Cornelia. Cornelia covered her arms, raising an eyebrow in his direction.

"I do?" Cornelia asked, unbelieving. "What about you?" Lelouch smirked.

"Dinner is prepared. Although as it is pizza, there was not much preparing," Lelouch said, frowning as he thought about exactly how many times C was using his debit card to order pizza. His train of thought was interrupted as Cornelia approached him haughtily, her arms still crossed. Finally she was face to face with him, meeting his bored gaze with her stone-faced determination. Lelouch wondered what his sister might do.

"Pizza?" Cornelia asked, eyebrow raising in contempt.

"Marianne loved pizza," Lelouch replied, with equal contempt. Cornelia smiled and walked past Lelouch. Lelouch shook his head, rolling his eyes at Cornelia. Euphemia stood, and Lelouch offered his hand. Euphemia put her arm on the inside of his elbow, and Lelouch bent his arm, taking hers in his. They started from the room, heading downstairs.

"I think she's forgiven you," Euphemia whispered in his ear as they headed towards the dining room, arm in arm.

"I doubt it," Lelouch whispered back.

0.0.0

Schneizel stood before a statue of the very first of the Britannia Royal Family. He looked down at the plaque. RICKON VON BRITANNIA. Schneizel looked to see V standing beside him, the much smaller boy looking up at the statue of their ancestor.

"With Euphemia and Cornelia gone, father's grip will slip on the country," Schneizel said, looking away from the immortal.

"It's inconsequential," V said, drawing a mildly surprised look from Schneizel. "Once Ragnarok is complete, there will be no need for Government."

"Of course, uncle," Schneizel said, smiling to himself as he did.


	14. Turn 14

**The Black Knight**

Disclaimer: C: (C approached a tombstone that reads Lelouch vi Britannia. She then digs up the coffin and opens it, then waves her hands over Lelouch, who suddenly wakes up, gasping.) I've risen you from the dead to show people that this is a non-profit fanfiction.

Lelouch: couldn't you just write that down?

C: (C blinks at Lelouch, then closes the coffin and starts to rebury Lelouch.)

Lelouch: (muffled) wait! I've changed my mind! I've changed my miiiiiind!

C: support the official release.

 **Turn 14 Mortality**

Euphemia awoke in the middle of the night, looking around the blackness for an indication of her surroundings. She'd slept in the same room as Lelouch, despite Cornelia's objections. But the bed she was now in was empty besides her own body, wrapped in a cotton t-shirt and panties.

"Lelou-" she called out, being cut off by a hand over the mouth.

"Shh," Lelouch shushed in her ear quietly. He paused for a second, then added in a whisper, "there's someone in this house." Euphemia carefully lowered the hand over her mouth.

"How could you know?" she whispered. Lelouch carefully sat down beside her.

"I've heard how this house reacts with any number of people in it. A precaution in case I was compromised," Lelouch said. The lamp next to the bed came on, and Euphemia saw that Lelouch was already dressed in a black tee shirt and pants. He carefully padded over to his dresser, grabbing his sword and putting the belt around his waist, and pulling on of his pistols from a drawer. Donning a pair of athletic shoes, he carefully opened the door, pistol aimed, peeking into the hallway. "I can't see anything amiss," Lelouch whispered. "Except...our guard should be there."

"Lelouch, be careful," Euphemia whispered, worriedly. Lelouch opened the door wide, stepping into the hallway, looking in both directions. He leaned back in to talk to Euphemia.

"Lock the door as soon as I'm gone. Don't unlock it for anybody except me. I'll knock three-two-three, like we did in the casino." Lelouch smiled as Euphemia nodded. He straightened his face as he closed the door behind him. He heard the click of the lock, then carefully walked down the hallway, careful not to make a sound of a footstep. He kept his two pistols aimed in front of him, one out in front of him, the other closer to his shoulder. He stepped into the sitting room, from which both staircases began. The house was quiet. Lelouch needed to draw them out.

He carefully knelt down behind the couch, setting one of his pistols on the table and pressed the television on with the remote, then grabbed his pistol and backed the way he'd come, carefully. He saw a black figure, dressed in a tactical BDU come out of the shadows, wielding a double-bladed lance. Lelouch retreated further to the shadows, carefully. Lelouch ran into someone as he backed up, and he spun, aiming. He stopped himself when he saw it was one of the four holy swords, Urabe. Lelouch looked back at the figure, and he heard Urabe draw his sword.

The figure vanished into thin air. Lelouch quickly scanned the room, and found the figure...a foot from him. Lelouch fired his pistol at the figure, who knocked his pistol away. Urabe gave a shout as he swung, and the assailant blocked, then knocked the sword away, and disappeared again. Lelouch spun, checking his back, and fired, twice, as he saw the figure again. One bullet hit the man, who recoiled. Lelouch was about to fire again when the figure disappeared for a third time. He recognized this disappearing act. It was Rolo's Geass.

"All lights on. He couldn't have gotten far," Lelouch ordered. Urabe spoke into his radio. The mansions lights flicked on with a giant collective clank. Lelouch noticed a blood trail, and carefully followed it, one pistol in front of him, one aimed out, in case another assailant was around. Urabe walked backwards at his back, his sword held ready.

Lelouch came upon the end of the blood trail, seeing the figure walking down the hall, carrying his stomach in his hand, his lance in the other hand. Lelouch shot the figure, twice, in the back of the neck. The figure fell, and Lelouch walked over, carefully aiming both pistols. Lelouch carefully knelt down, setting one pistol down, and removed the assailant's headgear and hood. Rolo's face looked back up at him. Lelouch frowned.

"Lelouch," Urabe said. Lelouch looked over at Urabe to see two more of the figures rushing toward them. Lelouch grabbed the assassin's lance as the two disappeared mid run. The two assassin's reappeared swinging at Urabe from behind, between the samurai and Lelouch. The two blades cut into Urabe's shoulders, throwing up twin trails of blood. Lelouch shot with his left over pistol, hitting the right one in the back twice. The other stabbed the opposite end of the lance at Lelouch, who countered with his own appropriated lance, deflecting the stab. Lelouch was dropping the pistol when the figure disappeared. Lelouch used the opposite blade in a slice, warding off the inevitable attack, and spun, putting his other hand on the blade, raising it to his chest level.

This was the best weapon he could think of. He had two blades, one to counter the surprise attacks. The assassin attacked, spinning his blades. Lelouch countered, and the target disappeared. Reacting, Lelouch kicked out with his leg backwards, catching the man in the knee. Lelouch stabbed with the blade, echoing the man's earlier move, and like the earlier man failed. Lelouch jumped forward, spinning the blade over his head, catching the wall. He lowered it immediately longways under his arms. This battlefield was too cramped.

"What are you?" Lelouch asked, angrily, already knowing the answer. They'd already tried to enhance Rolo's power through genetic engineering, but that didn't mean they hadn't already replicated Rolo for an assassination force. The clone didn't reply, instead twirling his blade, confidently. Lelouch did his best to bar the way to behind him with his body, taking up most of the hallway. Lelouch saw Tohdoh approach from behind, sword drawn.

"Zero!" Tohdoh shouted, then attacked the assassin, who counted Tohdoh with one blade. Lelouch attacked with his own lance, forcing the clone to focus on the two of them. Urabe suddenly jabbed out with his katana, catching the clone in the side, who screamed. Lelouch stabbed the figure in the back, while Tohdoh swept a finishing cut over the assassin's chest, spraying blood over his own face. Lelouch stepped back, sighing in relief. He picked up the pistols and set them on a nearby table, setting the safeties on the firearms. If someone accidentally wound up shooting themselves it would piss Lelouch off even more.

"Get C up. Ask for her help. She can't be fooled by these assassins," Lelouch ordered. Tohdoh nodded to the two extra security guards. Lelouch and Tohdoh knelt down to Urabe, Tohdoh sheathing his katana as they did. They had cut Urabe's inner shoulders, destroying his ability to raise his arms horizontally, and severely damaging his arms besides.

"Urabe, we'll get you fixed up." Tohdoh looked up at Lelouch, who shook his head. Urabe might survive, but he was in no further shape to fight, except maybe in a Knightmare Frame, if he was lucky. And it would take too long for him to heal. Tohdoh frowned as the two leaders realized that Urabe's war was over. They carried him to the elevator, taking him to the medics.

"Keep him alive until we can get him to the hospital," Lelouch ordered the nighttime emergency medic. "We'll need to find a cover story. Our medics can't possibly fix this, and it's too high-profile to get him to the Chinese infirmary."

"Master Zero!" Urabe shouted. Lelouch looked to see Urabe, and he continued. "Do not let me bear this shameful wound. Lelouch frowned and looked at Tohdoh. They both knew what Urabe was asking. Lelouch nodded. Tohdoh walked over and stood Urabe up, wrapping one of the Holy Sword's arms over his shoulders.

"From out of darkness, our blades light the way," Lelouch said, recalling the oath of the Order of the Black Knights. Urabe bowed his head as Lelouch drew the double-cross, the master-forged Britannian longsword. Lelouch drew it back, placing the point over Urabe's heart and leaned in close, his arms pulling back, ready to stab. "Are you ready?" Urabe smiled and nodded, his eyes closed. He gave a shout, throwing his head back, eyes going wide, as Lelouch rammed the sword through Urabe's heart. The samurai gave a sigh as he died. Lelouch frowned deeply as he withdrew the blade as respectfully as he could. He took a white cloth and wiped the blade. He set the cloth down as Tohdoh laid Urabe on the table. Lelouch noted that the red stain almost formed a perfect circle of red in the center of the cloth.

"Thank you for helping him, Master Zero," Tohdoh said. Lelouch merely gritted his teeth, angry. Even more death in his wake. He sheathed his sword, carefully, but still angry. He stalked to the elevator, his hands fists. He got to the top floor and stalked past the few guards. He didn't care to hear any reports. He knocked on the door, thrice, then paused and knocked again twice, then knocked thrice again. Euphemia unlocked the door and he opened it, almost knocking her over. He took off the sword belt and set it on his dresser.

"We just lost another good man," Lelouch said. "Some assassins got into the mansion. They're taken care of, but they injured a man. He asked me to release him." Lelouch ripped the shoes and tee shirt off of him, standing in the middle of his bedroom angrily. Euphemia's hand touched his back and he shrugged it off, not wanting to be comforted.

"I'm sorry," Euphemia offered, weakly. Lelouch sighed and looked at her, nodding. He walked over and laid down. After a second he patted his thigh. Euphemia walked over and laid down beside him, and then she rolled over, laying across his side. He put the same side's arm over around her abdomen, his fingers brushing her ribs. Her head was on his neck.

"It was more of the Rolo clones," Lelouch said, thinking aloud. "Probably more than the three downstairs. They even replicated his Geass." Euphemia's hand on his chest curled, running her nails across his skin. Lelouch inhaled with a hiss at the contact. He hated that he wanted to ravish the woman beside him, even as he was dealing with the fact that he had killed not just three clones of Rolo, but Urabe as well. His hand went to the thigh that was laying across his waist, feeling her lithe leg.

"I'm pretty angry right now. Death tends to cling to me like an odour," Lelouch said. His self-hate ate out his insides. It just made him hate himself even more, spiraling in a loop of anger.

"Lelouch, this isn't your fault," Euphemia consoled. Lelouch removed his hand from her leg. She winced, then gripped his shoulder, moving her hand from his chest. "Let me help, Lelouch. Please." Euphie's pleas tugged at his heart, pricking holes in his anger.

Lelouch tried to sit up to get out of the bed, but she rolled atop him, pinning him. Her face was sad and fierce as she did so, meeting his cold gaze. Euphemia could fall infinitely in Lelouch's eyes like this. They laid frozen like that for what seemed hours. Lelouch finally gripped her waist with both hands, pulling her down onto him. He closed his eyes as he kissed her, and she fell onto him, wrapping her arms underneath her head. She moaned into his lips as they kissed, fire rising inside her body. Lelouch ripped the shirt off over her head, Euphemia raising her arms so it came over her head.

Lelouch rolled her onto her back beside him, curling over top of her to put his mouth on her nipples. His hand rubbed the front bottom of her panties as he sucked her nipples. Lelouch yanked her panties off down her legs.

0.0.0

Lelouch left Euphemia sleeping as he headed to the shower. He felt worse, rather than better. The water barely helped as it coursed over him. He continued to think about the Rolo clone assassins. The Geass Order again, constantly trying to control the old world. Lelouch hoped that whatever new world he would create, he hoped the Geass Order would not be a part of it. Lelouch blinked as an idea struck him. The Geass Order would not survive into the new world after all.

He shut off the water, toweled off and pulled on a pair of pants. He looked out the window to see light coming through the windows. He pulled on a shirt and socks, then walked quickly out to the sitting room. A guard was standing in the room.

"Where's C?" Lelouch asked. The guard talked into his radio. After a few seconds C came from one of the upstairs hallways. Lelouch turned to her, his face a veneer of stone. "You would know where the Geass Order moved after destruction of the Institute." C blinked.

"I can lead you there," C said. Lelouch nodded, then headed to the elevator to the lower levels. C followed him as he selected his sanctum. Rakshata was there already, watching a few technicians working on his Raven. The large wing-like armor cloaks were gone, replaced by smaller wing-like attachments with energy emitters.

"What the hell have you done to my Raven?" Lelouch asked, annoyed and curious. Rakshata turned to him with an irritated scowl.

"You know of the float system?" Rakshata said, oozing disappointment with Lelouch, "I've developed a version down-sized for Knightmare Frames. We only preformed a few tests, but the system is sound. We've also installed an optional second seat for backup controls."

Lelouch walked over to his armored Zero costume. He pulled off his pants and began to pull on the one-piece black armor. As he zipped it up, he heard the elevator open again, and he looked over his shoulder to see Kallen.

"I want four squads of commando troops with Knightmare frames equipped with sniper rifles," Lelouch said to Rakshata, turning away. An assistant walked off. As Kallen continued to approach, Lelouch picked up his helmet and walked over to his gun case, holstering two pistols.

"I'll come with you, Lelouch," Kallen said, turning to leave.

"No," Lelouch said. "This is for witches and warlocks, not humans." Lelouch turned to Kallen, who merely looking at him in shock. Lelouch remained stone faced. "I need to answer a question."

"You're human, Lelouch," Kallen said, trying to console him. Lelouch walked over to the Raven, examining it quickly.

"This flight system is still experimental. Rapid movements will require recalibration on the fly," Rakshata informed. "We've removed the old blaze luminous cloak for an absolute defense system. The druid system will examine any objects approaching the Raven, and generate a blaze luminous barrier to block it. You can also manually control it, but you'd need to program each shield's frequency based on its speed, composition, and atmospheric conditions. Impossible in combat." Lelouch absorbed this, frowning. They would see if it was impossible.

"Any modifications to the main weapons?" Lelouch asked, cautious.

"The Hadron Cannon has been adjusted and upgraded. Now you can control beam density, speed and width. You can fire a wide-angle blast or a laser with just a tiny adjustment. I've improved the MVS swords," Rakshata told him, like reading off ingredients for a cake. Lelouch climbed into the back pod, sitting in the front seat with the control reins. As he sat down, he noticed a pair of touch-screen keyboards as they folded down behind the control reins.

"Lelouch," Kallen said, her voice falling off as Zero pulled his helmet on. C sat down behind him. Lelouch closed the hatch, finally ready.

0.0.0

Hours later the cargo planes were flying over the island of Hawaii, where the massive fortress stood, the Geass symbol emblazoned in the massive glass-window that dominated the highest tower. Lelouch activated the Raven's new energy wing system as they were dropped from the back of the plane, the Raven seeming to stop and float in midair. Five massive energy feathers were shimmering from the Raven's new wings, another three forming a tail for stability. He gave it a test nudge forward, and the Raven shot forward.

There's zero lag, Lelouch thought as he manipulated the controls. The Raven danced around in midair as he used the controls, trying to get the hang of the new flight system.

"It's down there," C said in her usual monotone, but Lelouch could detect her amusement as he tried to control the new flight system. He stopped controlling it, letting it simply float. He quickly switched to the keyboards, opening the flight system. The wings seemed to be locked into using the maximum amount of force against the air. Lelouch set it to recalibrate, and tried again. The flight system's numbers became unrecognizable as they adjusted, and the Raven seemed to glide more easily, moving more efficiently as he tested the controls, actually flying, instead of merely floating around.

"It's like a bird's wings, they need to constantly adjust," Lelouch muttered to himself. He quickly wrote an algorithm to make them apply only enough force to keep them at the same altitude, instead of applying too much force. He plugged it in, and the Raven's wings shimmered as the Knightmare began to fall.

"Lelouch," C said, giving a nervous warning. Lelouch grabbed the reins. The system restarted, just before they hit the ground. The black commando Knightmare frames were already halfway to the ground as he shot the Raven forward on its wings, causing a massive wake to appear behind the Knightmare as it flew on its purple wings. He pulled up just before he hit the shore, flying up, then dropping to the courtyard slowly.

"I like this," Lelouch declared, smiling underneath his helmet. He pressed the talk button on the radio. "All commando units take sniping positions. Shoot anything in sight."

"You mean to destroy the order entirely?" C asked. Lelouch felt her narrowed eyes in the back of his head, judging him.

"You did to, once. When you encouraged me to escape," Lelouch said, looking over his shoulder. C looked away, her face remaining straight. Lelouch pulled the hatch release, and the Knightmare cockpit opened. Lelouch dropped from the cockpit, landing on his feet.

"If you're going to question V you may not like your answer," C warned.

"Just stay here and guard the Raven, witch," Lelouch said, irritated. C watched as Lelouch entered the giant main doors of the castle. A long hall greeted him, abandoned save a sole figure at the other end. Lelouch could tell by the long blonde hair, almost silver. V himself.

"Come to try to kill me, Lelouch?" V asked, his voice amplified by the acoustics of the room, as well as by speakers. "You'll find that difficult, nephew." Lelouch narrowed his eyes, walking towards the immortal. As he approached, he thought of how much pain this one immortal had caused.

" _V. You're trying to imply some familial relationship to my once belonging to your order,"_ Zero declared, gesturing emphatically with his arm outstretched. _"It won't work."_

"I don't imply any sort of thing, Lelouch vi Britannia. I am your uncle, the brother of Charles zi Britannia, Victor zi Britannia," V replied, his face straight. Lelouch froze, shocked. Lelouch knew it was possible. Charles had a brother, Lelouch had just never known his uncle. "You were never told," V spoke again, guessing. When Lelouch didn't respond, he continued. "I'm not surprised. Interesting choice of helmet, though. Almost reminds me of the helmet we had you wear during your time in our home in Pendragon."

" _Of course,"_ Lelouch said, forgetting V's revelation for the time being. _"I chose this mask as a mockery of that prison you locked around my head."_ At this, Lelouch removed his helmet, holding it at his side. "That way, I could mock you every time you saw my face. Your one failure."

"Failure?" V asked, cocking his head so subtly Lelouch almost thought he hadn't moved. "We didn't fail, Lelouch. We showed you your true potential. When you wanted to be listened to, we gave you the power to make anybody you met eyes with unable to disagree with you." Lelouch narrowed his eyes and drew his pistol, aiming at the immortal boy before him.

"Are you saying you were doing me a favor?" Lelouch asked, angrily. "Where were you, uncle, when my mother was murdered?" V smiled at Lelouch's question, straightening his neck.

"I was holding the gun," V admitted. Lelouch's eyes shot wide open, his jaw falling open.

"What?!" V smiled even more, his lips a thin line.

"It's true," V said, standing straighter. "I killed Marianne in exchange for better support. And the contract has been most beneficial for both of us. Ragnarok is almost upon us."

"Who?!" Lelouch said, narrowing his eyes in anger again as he aimed the pistol, leaning forward. V merely shrugged, smiling still. Lelouch gritted his teeth and fired. The shot hit V in the forehead, and his face flashed shock briefly as he fell over. Lelouch turned, angry.

"You thought that would kill me?" Came V's voice? Lelouch turned to see the boy stand up, blood oozing from his forehead. In front of Lelouch's eyes, the wound closed, spitting out the bullet. Lelouch gritted his teeth, realizing his mistake. He'd given into anger. "I don't blame you, Lelouch. You and I are very similar. If you were to take C's code, you and I would be great partners. We excel at destruction. It's pure and simple." Lelouch growled loudly as the leader of the order spoke. Outside he heard the machine gun fire as the commando Tsukuyomi Knightmare frames opened fire. He heard the screams, then looked back at V.

"I rest my case, Lelouch," V declared. "We can always replace those orphans. Most children are disappointments. Barely worth the effort to find." Lelouch gritted his teeth. The pistol was useless. His Geass wouldn't work on V.

"Who did you murder Marianne for?" Lelouch growled, angrily demanding V confess.

"I'm tempted to tell you," V admitted, his eyes looking away from Lelouch. "So I'll offer you the choice. If you agree to join my plan, I will reveal who orchestrated all that followed." V held out his hand, his forehead suddenly glowing red with a Geass symbol.

0.0.0

C was sitting in the Raven, tapping the Knightmare frame's console when she felt it. She sighed and joined the conversation, her forehead glowing red with a Geass symbol.

0.0.0

Lelouch was on his back. He opened his eyes and saw stars. And a giant orange globe. He sat up and saw a giant orange planet. He was sitting on the deck of massive crystalline structure. He stood up and noticed a large pillar in the center of the circular structure. As he inspected it, he realized it was made of people. Enveloped in each others bodies, Lelouch looked up to see it curve around the planet. He noticed the large red storm on the planet's surface.

"Welcome to Jupiter, Lelouch," came V's voice. Lelouch stood, realizing he was in his normal Zero outfit, cloak and all, he wondered how he'd gotten there.

"How am I breathing if we're near Jupiter?" Lelouch asked, warily.

"You're not breathing," C replied from behind Lelouch. Lelouch turned to see her. Her naked form stood in the center of the structure like she'd been here more than once, and was familiar with it.

"I've merely brought your mind here," V said, and Lelouch looked to see he too was nude, the massive pillar writhing slowly behind him. Lelouch grimaced. "Your body is still on Earth in the Geass order. C seems to have joined our little conversation."

"What the hell is that thing?" Lelouch asked, looking over his shoulder at C.

"It's god," V said, drawing Lelouch's attention.

"The collective will of humanity. It is the human spirit, the entire human spirit, comprised of every conscious human who has ever lived, or is living now," C said, correcting the younger immortal. "It is the source of Geass, and it is where those who are immortal gain their powers."

"How?" Lelouch asked, not understanding.

"Someone who is mortal is inevitably connected to this being," V said. Lelouch watched the small being as he spoke. "That is their mortality. When one receives a code, they leave the being, and exist in this temple until they move their code to another. Speaking of mortality, I think I know someone who would love to speak with you." The being began to move like film before a projector.

"What is that thing? God? Human?" Lelouch asked, looking at C again.

"It is god, and human. I couldn't explain it to you Lelouch, no one could. Humanity is the only consciousness we know in this universe. That thing is consciousness itself. It's one and all, alpha and omega." C merely shrugged, lost for words. "It simply is." The giant being made of humans stopped, and V grabbed a limb, pulling, dragging out a human shape. The shape went from dark skinned to pale cream, growing its long black hair, a yellow dress covering it as it stood. Lelouch's eyes widened as it faced him. It was Marianne.

"Lelouch!" Marianne shouted in joy. She began to race forward when a hundred limbs grabbed her, trying to pull her back in.

"Stop it!" Lelouch pleaded the being, running forward.

"No Lelouch! Don't touch it, you can't handle that many minds!" C cried in surprise and concern. Lelouch's hand grabbed Marianne, and a million times a million minds touched his, overwhelming his meager mind with their collective whispers like thunder. Marianne and Lelouch were thrown backward, almost blasted back to C's feet. Lelouch crawled to his hand and knees. He knelt over his mother.

"Lelouch," Marianne moaned. Lelouch could only gape at his mother's weakened face, a twisted mix of emotion. He helped her to at least sit up, looking at her as his eyes began to fill with tears. He threw his arms around her, finally giving in to joy and despair, crying. One of her arms reached around him. Then she was ripped away, thrown by an unseen force back into the giant being.

"No!" Lelouch screamed. He saw V lower his hand from a gesture that almost certainly triggered his mother's forced return to the mass. "Give me back my mother!" Lelouch said, his Geass burning in his eyes from anger.

"Your anger is little," V said, disdainful, "and borne of childish need."

"V," C said, reprimanding. "You shouldn't have taunted him like that."

"I've only allowed you here as a courtesy," V said, arrogant. "I have more Geass users in my contracts than you, which means I have majority control of the god, and the sword itself."

"The sword of akasha was never meant to be used like this," C said, arguing. Lelouch merely sat on the ground on his knees, his tears flowing as the immortals bickered.

"My plan is the only way it will be meant to be used after I'm done. Besides, it's not as if it's her entire mind. Your contract with her is still a thorn in my side."

"What?" Lelouch hissed, suddenly snapped out of his sorrow. He looked at C, angry. "You had a contract with Marianne? She had a Geass?" C frowned, then knelt down.

"It wasn't strong enough," C said, consoling. "There's nothing she could have done to stop her murder. And if I could've done something, I would have."

"You can see her again," V said. Lelouch looked at him, wide eyed. "With Ragnarok."

"V!" C said, suddenly angry.

"Tell me," Lelouch ordered. V smiled.

"This being contains all the sin of humanity. If you destroy it, it will send all conscious human thought into limbo. There all of humanity will be joined, the dead and the living, in a world with no sadness, no anger, for eternity. No more wars, no one doing anything against one another. No oppression, no oppressed. A commune of blessed silence." V smiled and threw his arms wide as he finished. Lelouch stood, his eyes narrowed, cold.

"Stagnant. No will, no advancement?" V frowned at Lelouch's question.

"Nothing," V confirmed. "No memory. No love, no hate."

"No future," Lelouch argued, his brow furrowing. "Such a thing, you can't even call it life, only a bland existence without meaning."

"No lies," V said, his lips curled into a snarl. "A life with no regrets."

"That's your end goal. To kill the hope of humanity," Lelouch said, not asking a question.

"To kill god and sin," V said, his hands balling into fists.

"Without heaven and hell, life would have no meaning. Without meaning it would be nothing. No life or death," Lelouch said, thinking to himself. He couldn't condone this. He thought of Euphemia, and the eventual children. No, he wanted to give the world a future, not take away its past. "I refuse your plan, demon!"

0.0.0

"I expected you would say that," V said, suddenly his voice ringing in the hall of the Geass order again. A massive green slash harken shot past V, past Lelouch, knocking out a pillar behind Lelouch. He ducked, dodging some falling rubble. "Which is why I'll have to destroy you here."

Lelouch ran as four more green conical slash harkens shot out. He exited the castle as it began to collapse. He ran back to the Raven as the rubble exploded up, knocked away by a large green orb. He saw V being raised into a golden machine to which the five slash harkens were withdrawn into the main body. It was like no Knightmare Frame Lelouch had ever seen, just a massive orb, the only thing that seemed like a limb were the five slash harkens, each one a massive cone.

"And the dragon shall be killed by the hero, Siegfried," V said, his voice amplified. Lelouch set his helmet aside in the cockpit as it closed, C already typing furiously. Lelouch shot the Raven upwards as the Siegfried shot right at them. He whirled to see it slow and float back over. The sniper teams began to fire at it, their bullets merely bouncing off of the sphere of energy surrounding the machine.

'No amount of fire shall destroy this, this Knight Fortress,' V's voice declared. The slash harkens, moving on a track from their outward position, moved to point forward. 'Die,' V ordered, and the harkens shot out, instantly hitting and destroying the snipers. Lelouch fired the hadron cannon, which merely struck the sphere and was deflected, splitting the beam. The sphere began to contract, until it instead separated into multiple hexagons and began to layer behind the hadron cannon beam, stopping it entirely.

"What the hell?" Lelouch asked, suddenly incredibly scared and surprised. As the beam of the cannon cut off, the large harkens retracted, sliding back into their star position. It merely floated in air as its blaze luminous shielding returned to its sphere configuration.

'A worthy effort,' V said, oozing confidence over the radio. 'But futile.' The Siegfried began to move towards the Raven, and Lelouch jerked the stick back, dodging again. Lelouch began to fly away, trying to find the large gold machine in his rear view-screen.

"C, where is it?" Lelouch asked desperately, unable to see the machine as he flew.

"He's following us," C said. "Lelouch, dodge left!" Lelouch did, and the gold machine flew by them, spinning like a top, the wind leaving trails behind itself as it did. Lelouch fired the Raven's slash harken from its wrist, and the anchor just bounced off of the shielding.

"How do we damage it?" Lelouch thought aloud, worried. He began to fly again, firing his hadron cannon. The shielding just blocked it again, reforming its layered defense.

"When you shot it with the cannon, it had to rearrange its shielding. Maybe if you attack it from two directions, it will be able to damage it," C suggested, typing away furiously. "We still have some of the sniper teams. Head there." Lelouch turned as the flew, dodging around the Siegfried as it tried to crush him with its body. The large slash harkens flew again, straight at Lelouch, and he dodged, weaving between them. Drawing on of the MVS swords, he cut the line. The affected slash harken just began to glow green along the widest edge, and it turned and shot at Lelouch again, now cable-less.

"The slash harkens have float systems too," Lelouch noted grimly, gritting his teeth as he dodged. "Give me more power to the wing systems." C did so and gave him an acknowledgment. The Raven began to move faster. The siegfried continued to follow, its shields spinning around it as the harkens returned.

'If you surrender now, I'll destroy you quickly,' V said, his voice serious. Lelouch found that he was speaking honestly all the more unsettling. He pushed the Raven's reins forward harder. He saw the sniper Knightmares, and flew past them, then turned and fired his hadron cannon. The shields spun and adjusted, as he expected, and the snipers opened fire. The bullets hit the Siegfried but did no damage. The green cones, glowing, suddenly shot from the Siegfried, flying and impaling the special black Knightmare frames. 'A good idea,' V admitted over the radio. 'Were they equipped with rockets I might have taken some damage.' Lelouch gritted his teeth. He checked the tactical display as the Siegfried floated there, its harkens returning. All of his snipers had been taken out, but the castle was now in ruins, destroyed either by the commando teams, or by the Siegfried itself in their battle.

'So much waste,' V said, somber. 'All because of you. What do you kill for, Lelouch?' Lelouch gritted his teeth, angry. 'It seems you merely cause death wherever you go. Some are cursed with that affliction. I was one of those. It's ironic, I am safe from death itself, but everyone around me will die eventually whether I am cursed or not.'

"You're right," Lelouch admitted, angrily.

'Excuse me?' V said, bemused.

"Lelouch-" C said, trying to console him, before he spoke again, interrupting her.

"I destroy. I ruin people's lives. But destruction is a natural part of life. I couldn't realize that before," Lelouch admitted, smiling to himself. "I felt regret when I killed Urabe because he had to die, otherwise, why did he live? Having life means that you must interact with people before you die, or you are not living."

'And who do you have, Lelouch?' V said, taunting him coolly. 'No mother, no sister, no family.'

"You're wrong," Lelouch said, smiling savagely. "You and I aren't the same. I have more people in my life than I could ever wish for." He thought of Milly, Rivalz, Tohdoh, Tianzi, Xingke, the Black Knights. Cornelia. Kallen and Euphemia. C. Nunnally. "Who do you have, V?" Silence answered him as the Siegfried faced him, floating immovable.

'Sentiment,' V declared, its shields emitting a whine. Lelouch dodged the charge, and the Siegfried flew past him. He went around and fired his cannon into the machine's back, pushing it faster through the mountain before it. Breaking into the lava chamber of the volcano that had made the island.

Liquid fire poured forth, bathing the Siegfried's blaze luminous. Lelouch continued to fire his hadron cannon, the green shields of the Knight Fortress blazing green from over-taxation. The sphere of shielding began to crack into hexagonal shapes, and Lelouch ceased his attack, firing his two slash harkens. The two hit the Siegfried's glowing green float system, and Lelouch retracted the line, pulling the Raven right at the flying fortress. Giving it a double legged kick, the Siegfried flew into the rock and magma, beginning to burn as Lelouch flew backwards, avoiding it as the systems began to overheat and shut down, exposing the machine to greater damage. By they time it fell to earth, it was a smoking blackened wreck.

Lelouch smiled, pleased with himself. He'd found an answer for himself. Something he could use to go on. He looked over his shoulder to see C smiling a small smile herself, looking at him in pride. Lelouch looked back at the machine as V crawled from it. Before he could land the Raven to confront the immortal again, a green bolt shot out, and was blocked by a purple blaze luminous shield, shocking Lelouch. He looked to see the flying white machine, its rifle aimed.

"Suzaku," Lelouch said, frowning as he ascended to face the Lancelot. It had a new white and gold float system, a pair of wings attached to its back. Lelouch pulled on his mask, then began to type on his keyboards.

0.0.0

Suzaku was in the cockpit, watching the energy-winged Knightmare before him. A video messaging request appeared on his screen, and he accepted it. Zero's face appeared in the center of his screen, piloting the Knightmare.

" _Suzaku Kururugi,"_ Zero said, greeting the younger pilot. _"Have you been ordered here to kill me by someone?"_

"I came of my own accord. I want the Princess Euphemia returned, or I will destroy you here," Suzaku declared, his face sullen and determined. Zero seemed to absorb this over the video.

" _I would like to discuss something with you,"_ zero said. _"Let's land on the nearby island and have a chat."_ Suzaku gritted his teeth as the Knightmare began to float down, following it.

0.0.0

Euphemia watched the television with Cornelia as Lelouch lowered his Knightmare, the helicopters following the Lancelot down. She gripped Cornelia's hand tight. Kallen sat down beside Euphemia, and she grabbed Kallen's hand too.

"Suzaku, please," Euphemia begged the screen. "Don't fight Lelouch."


	15. Preview Test

**The Demon and the Red Moon**

 _So, what's the most important question to a writer? It shouldn't be "How do I?" How do I is a bad question. That question is stupid. How do I strangles stories in the crib like that kid in third grade that I still feel bad about. (Ha, but I don't though...shove a diaper in my mouth now, casper!) (Side note: no, I didn't really, geez, can't even take a joke.) The GOOD question is "What if?"_

 _I have about fifteen what ifs in my brain at any given month. What if Lelouch is a girl? (I know, been done, but to be fair in that one he cross-dresses, that shouldn't count!) What if Lelouch and Suzaku make love? (the answer, btw, is I go scrub with a wire brush until I'm a skeleton.) What if Nunnally and Tianzi are in lesbians...I'm not touching that one, but you're welcome. What if Lelouch, Kallen, and Euphemia had a threesome? (Giggity giggity goo...aaaaalllright...)_

 _Now, what if Kallen had witnessed the Birth of the Demon Lelouch? She sees him use his Geass for the first time ever, hears his real name, knows all about him the entire time. This caused more questions than answers. What if as a cover, they pretended to date? What if they then became real lovers? Cuddling in the Gawain's cockpit, floating over the clouds. Bottle of wine provided by Rivalz, lingerie provided by Milly. (but maybe not wine or lingerie for the T rating, cuz 's filters kinda suck.) The name is Lamperouge...Lelouch Lamperouge._

 _This is not yet that. This is a test. So, give it a read. Maybe it's not that great. And to be fair, it may fall flat later. But is it worth further investigation? Review and tell me. Lelouch vi Britannnia commands you._

Lelouch considered the bodies at his feet. Britannian soldiers. He felt their warm blood on his cheek. So clearly he was still awake. And therefore still alive. But he'd ordered them to die, and they'd obliged. The multiple impossibilities circulated through Lelouch's consciousness. Power. The witch's power, and he felt it behind his left eye, waiting for him.

Dead. Dead for years. Those things father had said to him. How all that he had was given to him by his father. Including Nunnally's disability and their exile. Pain. But this, this father hadn't given him. He owed this to the green-haired enigma who lay dead at his feet. All of these, from the pain to his education, to the power burning bright in his mind, these he could use. Against his father.

"Well then," Lelouch remarked, suddenly excited at the possibilities.

"Ooph!" Rubble was shifted, drawing Lelouch's surprised attention.

"Who's there?!" he demanded, trying to use his power. When no one came out immediately, Lelouch raised an eyebrow. He'd tried to use the power, but it hadn't drawn the person out. Some kind of limitation? Dammit, now wasn't the time for experimentation to discover his limits. Then the red-haired girl from earlier emerged, leveling a pistol at his direction. "You were the girl from the truck, the one with the Knightmare."

"I'm the one asking questions here!" the girl replied angrily. Lelouch hesitated. How much did she know? Had she heard his command? That would mean she heard his name. His real name. "How did you kill these men? How did you make them commit suicide like that."

"Magic," Lelouch answered after a moment of thought, smirking. "Here, I'll show you-"

"If you try anything, I'll kill you. Lelouch vi Britannia," she declared, stepping closer, the pistol still held in both hands. Lelouch's eyes narrowed, in concern. "What are you doing here in Shinjuku? Admiring your country's handiwork?"

"It's not like I wanted to be here," Lelouch commented, running his hand through his hair in annoyance. But it was all an act. Inside he was intensely worried. "Are you an Eleven?"

"I'm Japanese!" she corrected, forcefully. She jammed the gun even closer, and Lelouch threw his hands up in surprise. "Filthy Britannian, always leaving us Japanese out in the mud. I hate your kind. You think your so superior to everybody else, just because you belong to a bigger country!"

"I meant no offense," Lelouch apologized, smiling sincerely this time. "And your right. They do enjoy leaving us in the dirt."

"What us? You're not Japanese," the woman pointed out. Lelouch frowned, conceding the point. He glanced away, then back to the red head, thoughtfully.

"But I am an Eleven," he said, drawing the girl's surprise. Lelouch looked away, frowning to himself. "The Eleventh prince of Britannia, yet here I am, discarded like a piece of trash. I guess we're similar in that regard." He lowered his raised hands slightly, then looked back to her. "I'm going to lower my hands because my arms are getting tired." The girl looked at him, dumbstruck as he lowered his hands to his sides.

"Wait a minute," she cried, shaking her head, remembering what was going on, "that's not the point!" Lelouch raised an eyebrow, curious. "We could use you as a hostage to get Britannia to leave Japan!" Lelouch instantly thought this plan through. Even if Charles considered him valuable, his value would be eliminated as soon as he was used as leverage against Britannia.

"Clearly you don't understand Britannia," Lelouch commented. The redhead's face blazed with anger at the comment. Before she could speak. "You're not thinking the situation through. Why am I here? I'll tell you. I was used as a hostage to give Japan a false bargaining chip against Britannia. They invaded anyway, risking my life, and didn't bother to try to find me after. I think you're overstating my value by several orders of magnitude. And even if they decide I'm worth something now, it'd be more likely they would pursue you even more to free me from your clutches."

The girl's face twisted into increasingly uncertainty as Lelouch spoke. She gritted her teeth, eyes narrowing, brow furrowed in worry. Lelouch cocked his head to the side slightly, giving her a friendly smile. She gave him distrusting look.

"And yet, if you kill me, if they discover my body, they'll attack you even more." Lelouch found himself admiring the girl as she lowered the pistol a fraction of an inch. "But," he added, surprising the girl, "I guess you don't need me." The girl was lost in thought, still pointing the gun at him. Ignoring her, Lelouch walked over to one of the bodies and turned it over, ignoring the gunshot. He picked the radio off of the body and examined it.

"What are you doing?!" the girl demanded, swinging the gun back to point at his kneeling form.

"I could use this radio to intercept their transmissions," Lelouch explained, thoughtfully. "But I don't know any of their codes or designations." He narrowed his eyes, looking off into space. "Maybe I could order someone to tell me." The radio issued a burble of static.

One of the walls suddenly burst, and in rolled a purple and crimson Knightmare. Lelouch jumped to a standing position in surprise.

"Get rid of the gun!" Lelouch shouted. The girl looked at the pistol in her hand in surprise and threw it away, then lowered her hands to her side quickly. The Knightmare leveled its assault rifle. Lelouch let the power flow into his eye, aiming it directly at the machine. "Give me your Knightmare."

" _Excuse me?"_ the pilot replied, angrily. It was a woman's voice. But the Knightmare didn't open. Lelouch narrowed his eyes. _"You've got a lot of nerve."_ Did it require direct eye contact. Thinking of the incident with the girl, Lelouch considered this. Maybe the combination of eye contact and verbal command. _"Are you a Britannian student?"_

"Uh," Lelouch began, switching to his student tone, "Yes! I'm the son of a duke! My girlfriend and I were playing around when...the battle!"

"I'm not your girlfriend!" the girl hissed, angrily.

"Shut up, do you wanna die?" Lelouch hissed back, gritting his teeth in the corner of his mouth. "If you got us out of here, my father would surely reward you! My identification card is in my breast pocket, I can show you if you like." He began to reach for it, just a farce.

" _Don't move!"_ the woman ordered over the Knightmare's speakers. _"I'll get it."_ the back hatch of the Knightmare opened, and Lelouch smirked. The woman who climbed out was tall, but not much taller than the red head, and similarly built. Lelouch's raised hands bore false witness to who was really in charge. "You're the son of a duke?" Lelouch's eye turned red.

"Give me your Knightmare and your clothes," Lelouch ordered.

0.0.0

When Villeta was aware of her own actions again, she was dressed only in a brown Britannian soldier's long coat. She jumped in alarm, crying out. She looked over to the bodies. A dead man's coat, too. This was so humiliating! What the hell had happened? Then she noticed that one of the soldiers, dressed in a combat coverall, was actually trying to get up, grunting in the effort. Villeta ran over, snatching up a radio.

0.0.0

"If we can get to Clovis," Lelouch explained, typing, "we can get him to pull back his forces. We can save your friends and achieve my objectives all at once." He looked at the monitor to where the girl was pulling on the Britannian woman's uniform, grumbling.

"You better not be looking," she growled at him, over the Knightmare's sound system. Lelouch looked away, uninterested.

"Don't worry, I'm not," he promised. But despite himself, he kept glancing at her as she drew the leggings up over her red uniform.

"Well, that plan's a bust," the girl declared, sighing in fake exasperation. "These clothes don't fit." Lelouch sighed, annoyed.

"That's because you're trying to wear them over your other clothes. Just change. I promise I'm not looking," Lelouch complained, annoyed at the girl's reticence. What the hell was she good for if all she was gonna do is sabotage him? He once again thought about the pistol he'd palmed from the woman's clothes. He heard the girl's growl and smiled to himself.

"If you look, I'll kill you!" she promised.

"I won't, I promised," Lelouch insisted, watching with a smirk. He looked away long enough to take off his Asheford Academy jacket. He owed Milly and her family that much, at least.

0.0.0

Ohgi ducked as a Knightmare opened fire at them, the concrete barrier managed to cover him, but just barely. With a start he realized this wall had once belonged to an apartment. This had been homes. He gritted his teeth and looked over the wall, and fired his rocket launcher. The ground hit the Knightmare and severely damaged it, but only taking off an arm and damaging the head slightly.

"Ohgi, let's fall back!" came a man's voice, before automatic fire turned the voice into a wounded cry. Ohgi ducked back into cover, gripping his launcher desperately. The container. He could only hope Kallen had gotten it to safety.

0.0.0

Lelouch and Kallen sat in the cockpit of the Sutherland, and surveyed the wreckage of the red Glasgow. It had fallen over and been permanently crippled by the concrete beam falling across it.

"I'd been trying to retrieve the canister," Kallen told Lelouch, who was frowning at the machine.

"It served us well enough," Lelouch commented, honoring the fallen machine. He turned the Sutherland and began to drive towards the command vehicle. Kallen sat in his lap, frowning.

"You should've let me drive," the girl commented, annoyed. Lelouch narrowed his eyes, frowning in irritation at the girl in his lap. He glanced at her again and blinked, remembering.

"Stradtfeld?" Kallen looked up at Lelouch in surprise and alarm. Lelouch's eyes narrowed. "Kallen Stradtfeld, from Asheford Academy." Lelouch gave a surprised and excited laugh. "I barely recognized you with your hair spiked." He looked back to the Sutherland's center screen. Before Kallen could act, he spoke again. "Don't worry," he interrupted, "I have a secret identity too." Kallen considered this for a second before exclaiming aloud, crossing her arms.

"What am I doing, trusting a Britannian prince?" she asked the ether, looking away from the prince in question. Lelouch smirked despite himself. Fair question for a terrorist. Although...

"I'm only half a prince," he admitted. "My mother was commoner given noble status." he gunshot-ridden body flashed in his mind's eye, making him grimace. He noticed Kallen was looking at him, curiosity in her gaze. He looked at her, annoyed yet again. "What is it?" Kallen looked away, innocently, the corners of her mouth turned downward. Lelouch surmised that this was the end of it and looked back to the display, focusing on driving.

"My dad is Britannian," Kallen admitted. Lelouch's eyes narrowed. "My mother is Japanese. As soon as the colony was established my father acknowledged us. And my mother came crawling back to the man who left her, like a whipped dog. She's a maid in our household." Lelouch blinked, thoughtfully.

"You said us," he noted. "But that didn't include your mother. But you used us anyway. Because you had a sibling." Kallen looked at the black-haired boy cramped in the cockpit with her. She narrowed her eyes, angry, and looked away again.

"Just a slip," she corrected. "Dad acknowledged me, his only child." To her relief, Lelouch let the matter drop.

"So," Lelouch began, changing the subject, "It's very interesting. Your tattoo. I wouldn't think you liked ducks that much." Kallen looked back to Lelouch, confused.

"Ducks?" she asked, confused. "Where the hell did ducks come from?"

"It's the Kanji tattoo on your upper back," Lelouch commented. "The Kanji is 'duck.'"

"No it's not! It's Crimson Lotus!" Kallen argued, angry and horrified. "And you said you wouldn't-"

"Duck," Lelouch confirmed, frowning sheepishly.

"It's not-" Kallen began again.

"Duck," Lelouch confirmed, sadly.

"How the hell would you know?"

"I learned Kanji when I was twelve. Trust me, it means duck," Lelouch explained, confidently. Kallen's eyes went wide, blushing. She eyed behind her to where her tattoo was, on her back. Then back to Lelouch.

"Ducks are cute," she said defensively.

"We're nearing the command vehicle," Lelouch declared, making Kallen sit up and look around the cockpit's view screens. "You call it in. You discovered me and wish to present me to Viceroy Clovis personally. Trust me." Kallen frowned, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of trusting the prince. He held out the ear piece. Kallen sighed and took it from him, planting it in her ear.

0.0.0

Clovis was jolted from his daydreaming by General Darlton adressing him.

"My lord," he began, listening to a ear piece. "Someone claims to have discovered the eleventh prince of Britannia in the shinjuku ghetto." Clovis's face opened into surprise. Lelouch?

0.0.0

"Prince Lelouch?" Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald asked the ether, surprised. He was distracted by an explosion in the center of the ghetto.

0.0.0

Lelouch was escorted by Kallen, and two more soldiers of Britannia, dressed in the black coverall that Suzaku had worn. Lelouch's eyes narrowed as he was reminded of his now dead friend. Yet another thing taken from him by Britannia. Clovis was getting barely a shard of what the whole of Britannia, no, what Emperor Charles truly deserved.

"Lelouch!" Clovis exclaimed, elated, throwing his white satin-clad arms around Lelouch's shoulders. Clovis's head was over Lelouch's shoulder. He had to admit, it was off-putting. Being held by a walking corpse.

"Brother," Lelouch said, drawing a friendly facade over his true person. "It's been too long. I'm indebted forever to the Knight who found me. I might have staying in that canister forever if she hadn't come along."

"What?" Clovis asked, recoiling, angry. "You were in the canister? It was supposed to be something else!" Lelouch shrugged, playing dumb. "Those stupid scientists! Not only hiding my brother from me, but losing my prize as well!"

"Could we have a moment alone?" Lelouch asked his older half-brother. Clovis almost jumped standing straighter.

"Oh, yes, of course brother!" Clovis said, smiling happily. "You may go!" he shouted to the ceiling. The many members of the government in the room began to leave, including Kallen.

"Not her," Lelouch said, turning and pointing to the redhead, making her stop. "I would rather she stay with me, being my savior and all."

"Of course!" Clovis happily agreed, irritating Lelouch with his elation. As soon as the room was bare save the three of them, Lelouch pulled the pistol he'd been hiding. Kallen took a gasp and pulled her own pistol, aiming into Lelouch's back. He glanced over his shoulder at her and gave her a smirk. Lelouch turned back to the blonde prince.

"Now order a cease fire and withdrawal," Lelouch ordered, but without using his power. He was saving it. His pistol was enough.

"Lelouch!" Clovis admonished, sitting down on his throne. Lelouch merely smiled, menacingly.

"Do it," he ordered again, softer this time. Clovis sighed and pressed a button on his throne.

"Stand down," Clovis ordered. "Our objectives have been achieved."

0.0.0

Ohgi watched as the Knightmares turned around, moments away from killing them all, and went back the way they came. He stared, wide eyed, at the withdrawal. He looked around, then back to the sky. I guess we have some miracle man watching over us, he thought. Maybe it was Naoto's spirit.

0.0.0

"What now?" Clovis inquired, amused. "A nice game of chess?"

"Now isn't that nostalgic," Lelouch commented, lowering the pistol to chest level. "Too bad I'm not Lelouch." Clovis nearly jumpted in alarm. "Too bad you couldn't tell. I'm just an assassin. Working for Suzaku Kururugi. You probably thought he was working for the Britannian military the whole time. But he was really working for the resistance. He came up with this plan."

"What?" Kallen asked, incredulous. Lelouch glanced at the cameras. They were still recording. This was perfect. Blame an assassination on a dead man.

"Now," Lelouch said, letting his power flood his eye red, "Answer my questions."

"Yes, your majesty," Clovis said dreamily, as the order took effect.

"Who murdered the Empress Marianne?" Lelouch asked, stalking closer.

"I don't know," Clovis admitted, making Lelouch frown. "But Cornelia was in charge of security and the investigation. And Schneizel was given charge of the remains. You could ask them."

"Yes, I may have to," Lelouch commented. He planted the tip of his pistol into Clovis's head just as the prince regained his consciousness.

"Lelouch!" Clovis remarked, suddenly terrified.

"I told you," Lelouch commented, smiling smugly, "I'm not Lelouch vi Britannia." he squeezed the trigger. What followed was truly spectacular. _(fuck me, I'm demented...)_

0.0.0

Later, Lelouch was handed his Asheford academy jacket. He accepted it with a smile towads Kallen, who merely gazed at him with suspicion. Once again in her red outfit, she looked better this way, he decided. The purple uniform had been a nice look, but it didn't suit her form or personality.

"I don't understand you," she admitted, making him smile once again.

"Just a small step towards defeating Britannia," Lelouch commented, tugging his jacket back on.

"Listen to you," Kallen admonished, annoyed. "Nothing can defeat Britannia. The best we can hope for is liberation for Japan." Lelouch was even more intrigued by this comment.

"Nothing can defeat Britannia, you say?" he asked, amused. "That might be true. But here in Japan, the numbers outnumber the Britannians five to one. Secretly, they desire freedom and justice. But they're afraid of what Britannia can do to them." He gritted his teeth, feeling a black rage taking over him. "Governments should be afraid of their people, not the inverse." He looked back at Kallen, who merely scowled at him, unimpressed.

"Do me a favor," he said, turning to walk away from her, "don't tell anyone who I am. But then, if you do, I'm a Britannian citizen. And now, I know who you are, too. I'll see you in school, Kallen."

"Wait," she said, and Lelouch stopped, his eyes widening in surprise before narrowing to glance over his shoulder back at her and the Sutherland. "You believe we can defeat Britannia?" Lelouch paused to think. For Nunnally. A peaceful world for her. Yes, for that, he could move mountains, one rock at a time if he needed to. But not as he was.

"Not as Lelouch vi Britannia. Nothing can defeat Britannia. But Lelouch vi Britannia can become nothing. A symbol, a man dressed in black." Lelouch was lost in thought now. "And turn their numbers system into a symbol of rebellion. A number, representing nothing."

"Zero?" Kallen asked, completely lost at this man before her.

"Zero? Now that's very interesting," Lelouch commented. He began to walk away. "Maybe your friends will get to meet Zero very soon, Kallen Stradtfeld."

"Kallen Kozuki," Kallen corrected, blushing slightly. "It means-"

"Red moon," Lelouch finished, walking away. "My last name is Lamperouge. Lelouch Lamperouge." Kallen blinked in surprise at the confession. He was already gone, swallowed by the darkness as the sun was setting.


	16. Turn 15 Lancelot vs Gawain

**The Black Knight**

wow, loved the response to the test. I can tell you it will certainly be written, but it may take a while. I plan to have enough written so that I can update on a regular basis. so you know, look forward to it. Back to this fic, this is almost finished, but I'm not sure if the "sequel" will be finished at all. Guess I'll have to post some of that too and see the response.

Disclaimer: V: the following is a non-profit fan based work of fiction written and produced by a one man team of a lonely nerd filling his spare time with nothing but fantasy stories about sentiment and trying to kill evil bad guys.

Author: you are complaining because you just lost in a one-chapter battle?

V: You'll just see me in the second season.

Author: but there is no second season of this fic...

V: (pause) DAMMIT!

 **Turn 15 Lancelot vs Gawain**

Lloyd watched from the battleship as the Lancelot descended behind the black Knightmare. He saw the purple wings and was examining them from afar, humming happily to himself. Schneizel walked up to stand beside the genius designer.

"Quite exciting, isn't it?" Lloyd asked. Schneizel just raised an eyebrow, amused. "Testing the new float system on Lancelot? Imagine all the battle data!"

"Yes, well," Schneizel said. "I'll just be happy when we destroy Zero once and for all." Lloyd jumped up and down suddenly.

"Mind if I have the remains of his Knightmare? That energy-wing system seems very interesting!" Lloyd asked, excited. Schneizel just smiled even more.

"Perhaps. But now that the Lancelot is shown to be effective, the military is asking about mass-production of the design," Schneizel said, probing Lloyd for information.

"Those trigger happy generals with their mass-production schemes," Lloyd said, waving a hand dismissively. "I've already designed a cheaper version, and it's not like it'll be hard to produce. It'll even be able to outperform our Gloucester we're using, and at three quarters of the cost, since we can re-use some of the parts."

"Have you considered if we need to sacrifice the Lancelot?" Schneizel asked, looking at Lloyd in bemused concern.

"Yes, yes," Lloyd began, still waving, then froze and leaned into Schneizel's face, hands in balled fists, face a mask of pain. "Oh you wouldn't!"

"The destruction of zero should be a noble cause to destroy the Lancelot, Lloyd," Schneizel consoled, his brow furrowing even as he kept his usual smile on his face. Guilford stepped to Schneizel's side and saluted.

"Sir, we're ready," Guilford said, frowning.

"Very well, get ready to launch cruise missiles," Schneizel ordered.

"What?!" Lloyd cried in despair.

"Sorry Lloyd," Schneizel said, grinning apologetically. "But I can't condone letting Zero escape again just because of the Lancelot. We can always build another one." Lloyd gave a shriek and ran away.

0.0.0

Suzaku stepped down onto the stirrup as Zero did the same across the small clearing. They were within spitting distance, but Suzaku resisted the urge to simply charge Zero. For one, there was another person in the Knightmare, and Suzaku wasn't sure if she'd open fire.

"You wanted to talk?" Suzaku asked, face a mask of stone.

" _I did indeed,"_ Zero said, crossing his arms, his black suit creaking. _"I wanted to ask you to join me in my business to destroy Britannia."_

"You're joking," Suzaku said, incredulous, his face still straight.

" _I could be,"_ Zero admitted, putting a hand to the chin of his helmet. _"But if I were, I'd probably say something more along lines of, 'two guys walk into a bar.'"_

"So you're saying 'a guy asks another to join in terrorism?'" Suzaku countered, smiling humorously at the black figure.

" _Put it that way and you have a point. But, one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter."_ Suzaku frowned at Zero's words. _"You were related to Genbu Kururugi, am I right?"_ Suzaku recoiled at the mention of his father.

"Yes," Suzaku admitted, but spoke no further.

" _Tragic how he died before he could get word of the invasion to Tokyo,"_ Zero said, lowering his arms to his sides. _"But had he, I think the damage to Japan would've been much worse. So, did you kill him?"_ Suzaku was rocked back, eyes wide, gut-punched by Zero's question.

"H-how would you know that?" Suzaku asked, stammering.

" _You remained in Britannia willingly afterward. Had you gone back, you might've been dragged into the puppet government established to control the Numbers, or joined a resistance group. You did neither, which makes me believe you didn't want a fight to destroy your country, something that would've happened had Genbu's Warning gotten out._ " Suzaku's head lowered, shadow's obscuring his eyes as Zero spoke. His radio crackled in his ear.

'Suzaku,' Lloyd said in his ear. 'They're launching cruise missiles at Lancelot and Zero! You have to get out of there!'

"Cruise missiles?" Suzaku asked aloud. Zero's head cocked, twisting.

'Yes, get out of there or Lancelot will be destroyed, and Zero along with it!' Suzaku smiled at Lloyd's words. He might not be able to stop Zero, but he could stop him from leaving again. He jumped into action, drawing his pistol, and in a few moves had Zero hostage, a pistol to his neck.

"If the cruise missiles hit, at least you won't be able to escape alive," Suzaku said, smiling. "This way I can finally atone for that awful sin!"

" _But then who will tell them where Euphemia and Cornelia are?"_ Zero asked, challenging Suzaku again.

"They'll be safe from you," Suzaku replied, pressing the pistol into Zero's neck.

" _You mean you're willing to risk dying just to kill me?"_ The question suddenly struck a chord with Suzaku. No, he couldn't do this. _Live._ He had to let Zero go, and get back to the Lancelot before the missiles hit. _Live._ He had to live! He let the black figure go, running back to his Lancelot. He closed the cockpit and took off, and saw the other Knightmare doing the same. The missiles passed them as they flew up, destroying the clearing entirely.

Suzaku saw the black Knightmare about to fire its central cannon at the fleet that had launched the missiles. Suzaku shot forward, ramming the Knightmare with the Lancelot's shield. The shot missed and struck the ocean, causing an explosion of foam to shoot from the surface. As the black winged frame flew away, Suzaku fired his VARIS rifle, launching a green bolt at the flier. The black Knightmare blocked with a purple blaze luminous shield, and Suzaku drew an MVS, lunging.

0.0.0

Lelouch dodged as he drew the Raven's MVS sword, then deflected the next two strikes, flying in lazy circles as the two machines dueled. If Lelouch could disable the Lancelot's float system, it would be unable to follow him and he could escape.

But his energy filler was below half capacity. And if the Lancelot had been carried here by a fleet of battleships, it no doubt was still full of energy. Meaning Lelouch had to fight the Lancelot with a hand tied behind his back.

0.0.0

To Schneizel's eyes, the two Knightmare frames had become colored comets as they battled back and forth, trading sword blows and blasts of green and red energy. The two flew in a double helix as they fought, changing direction erratically.

0.0.0

Lelouch's hands were dancing as he flew the Knightmare Frame through the air. The Lancelot wasn't as fast or maneuverable with its float system as the Raven was with its new energy wings. But, Lelouch's machine hemorrhaged power with its flight system, and he was already low from the fight with the Siegfried.

"C," Lelouch asked, looking over his shoulder as she typed away. "We need to ground him." C merely looked at him, realizing. Lelouch flew away from the Lancelot, towards the ground. It risked another missile strike, but he had few options. As he landed the machine's land-spinners engaged, moving the Raven quickly across the ground. Lelouch quickly spun the Raven, seeing the Lancelot coming down onto them. He dodged the beam as the white Knightmare fired, and it threw up a dust cloud.

The white machine hit the ground behind Lelouch. He spun and fired his hadron cannon. The Lancelot blocked with its green energy shielding. Lelouch however, hit the left wing, and the entire left float assembly shot sparks.

0.0.0

Suzaku shouted a curse as alarms began to sound. He quickly ducked as sparks flew throughout the cockpit, the screens reading a critical systems error.

 _'Suzaku,'_ Zero said. _"Did you know a Lelouch vi Britannia?"_

"What? How would I know that name?" Suzaku asked, eyes wide. The black Knightmare opened its wings again, floating up. Suzaku tried to fire his slash harkens to bring it back down, but they merely were blocked by blaze luminous shielding.

" _Think about it,"_ Zero asked, and the Knightmare began to fly away.

0.0.0

Ohgi smelled egg cooking as he entered the little apartment. Chigasa had taken to cooking for herself and Ohgi, when he was there, in order to pay him back. Ohgi smirked to himself as he looked into the small kitchen, her back to him. Ohgi smiled at her light blue, almost silver dress. It matched her hair, and made her skin seem even darker and more mysterious. She turned, sensing him.

Ohgi smiled as she faced him. She smiled back, her yellow apron covered in small splashes of egg and oil. Ohgi walked over to see what she was cooking, and saw that she had made bacon and scrambled eggs.

"I made some breakfast," Chigasa said, friendly. "But I didn't really know you were coming."

"No, it's okay," Ohgi said. "I just wanted to check-in on you." But on impulse Ohgi grabbed an oily piece of bacon, sliding the hot piece of pork into his mouth, oozing hot oil in his mouth. He groaned in pleasure at the taste. "I wanted to see if anything had come back to you," he said, mouth full of bacon.

"Nope," Chigasa said, disappointed. "I mean, I remember a lot of what I can do and how to do other stuff, but I can't remember anything about who I am. Or stuff like my parents, my job." Ohgi frowned. Maybe he could ask Lelouch if he could help. Chigasa smiled at his thoughtful expression, and it tugged at his heart, forcing his face to twist back into a smile.

"So I guess the clothes I got for you were all okay?" Ohgi asked, still smiling. Chigasa nodded, glancing at her dress and apron. Ohgi made a note to thank Sayoko. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, I'm fine," Chigasa assured, stirring the eggs in the skillet. Ohgi nodded.

"Well, let me know on the phone if you think of anything," Ohgi said, moving to leave.

"Uh," Chigasa said, speaking up, halting Ohgi. "You could stay and keep me company." Ohgi blinked, eyes going wide. He wasn't sure if it was a great idea, being with this woman alone.

"Me being alone with you, when nobody knows you're here might not...be proper," Ohgi admitted, nervously.

"Proper," Chigasa said. "It's just, uh, I get kinda lonely, and I only really know you." She put the eggs and bacon onto a plate, grabbing a glass of orange juice. "I made enough for that you can at least share with me." Ohgi sighed and smiled, sitting down at the small round table in the corner of the kitchen. Chigasa sat down across from him, smiling serenely as they started to eat the modest breakfast together.

0.0.0

Lelouch began to curse as the Raven began to lose power around him. He cursed as the energy wing system died, and the Raven began to drop. He rerouted all the power he could, but the Raven was falling. Just slower. Lelouch looked over his shoulder at C, feeling defeated. The witch just met his disappointed gaze.

"Any ideas?" Lelouch asked, grudgingly.

"You could use your Geass," C said, impassive. Lelouch looked forward as the Raven finally set down on the island, landing on its front. Lelouch began to type, trying to figure out what was damaged and what was not. Finally the screens shut down.

"Hit the manual release," Lelouch ordered. C did, and explosive bolts blew out the back of the large pod that contained the cockpit. As C began to climb out, Lelouch pulled his helmet over his head and followed her.

0.0.0

V crawled from the burning remains of his Siegfried as helicopters began to land nearby. V stood, frowning, and glanced at the wreck behind him, and sighed, his face remaining impassive. He looked ahead as people began to step down the side of the large volcano.

Schneizel stepped from one of the helicopters, shadowed by his assistant, Kanon, and by Lloyd Asplund and Cecile Croomy. V sighed as he realized how he must look. He looked down and saw that his clothing was singed and blackened.

"A child, piloting a machine like that?" Lloyd asked, incredulous in his usual over-eager expressiveness. "Impressive!"

"Did you capture Zero?" V asked. Schneizel's smiled widened.

"No, but's trapped on this island with no way of escape. And the Lancelot is on the island as well. It's only a matter of time." Schneizel's eyes narrowed as he finished his sentence.

0.0.0

Suzaku piloted Lancelot over the rough terrain, driving the swift machine up to the black Knightmare. Suzaku opened his sensors, uncovering his factspheres of the thin armor that dulled them. They read no human life-signs in the cockpit, but the hatch was open. They must be nearby.

'Suzaku, do you have any sign of the terrorist?' came Guilford's voice over the radio.

"I'm at the downed Knightmare. No sign of Zero yet, but he's on foot," Suzaku said in the cockpit, reporting dutifully to the senior knight.

'Understood. Keep searching, we'll have a resupply helicopter come to you.'

"Understood," Suzaku acknowledged, and began to run his sensors again, trying to read tracks. He discovered a trail and moved in the direction, following them.

0.0.0

Lelouch and C watched the white Knightmare drive away, camouflaged by undergrowth.

"If we can capture the Lancelot, we can use it's energy filler to resupply the Raven and escape," Lelouch explained to C, his hands propped on his helmet next to his head on the ground. C frowned, laying beside him under the bush.

"How do we do that?" C asked, challenging her accomplice. "We just barely made the tracks before it got here."

"I have my gefjun distributor," Lelouch said, and thought about what he packed with him. "And a few micro grenades. Smoke, flash bang. If we use a tree to get above the Knightmare, blind it, shut it down, even for a few seconds."

"I doubt he'd risk himself like that," C said, arguing Lelouch's plan.

"What about resupply choppers?" Lelouch asked, looking at her in irritation. "Maybe we can lure one down to where I can use my Geass on them?"

"How do you plan to do that?" C asked, disbelieving. Lelouch looked down at her body, examining the length of her, his eyes narrowed, thoughtful.

"Are you kidding me?!" C shouted, realizing what Lelouch was thinking. A giant golden hand grabbed the bush and ripped it out of the ground, revealing them. Lelouch looked up to see the white and golden Knightmare, which promptly scanned them with its fact-spheres. Lelouch rolled, pulling his helmet over his face and drawing a pistol. Getting to one knee, he aimed and shot at the large sensors.

The bullets didn't do much damage, but they would blind the pilot for a time. Lelouch ran, following C, as they began to run for a cliff. He heard the Lancelot moving behind them. Lelouch could see a waterfall on the other side of the cliff. He prayed the water below wasn't too far or rocky. C slid to a halt, just below it, and looked over, and Lelouch echoed her moves.

"Dammit," Lelouch cursed. It was way too far, he wouldn't survive a fall like that, even without the surface tension of the water.

"You'll need to use me to break the water before we hit," C told him.

"What?" Lelouch's question was answered as C grabbed his shoulders, pulling him atop her as she dragged them over the edge. Lelouch figured out her plan as they fell. Lelouch wouldn't survive by himself, but he could use the immortal as a shield. They were both wearing kevlar survival suits, and Lelouch's head was encased in armored plastics.

The air howled outside his helmet as they fell. Lelouch kept an eye on the water as they tumbled. They hit the water. C hit first, and Lelouch felt her body breaking beneath him, pushing up into him. Three layers of Kevlar and C's body protected his own as they landed. Even with C breaking the water first, the impact stunned him, knocking the air out of him. Water surged into his helmet as they went under. Lelouch forced his legs to begin to kick, and they began to move in the water.

He dragged C's unconscious body up to the surface, and looked around as he gasped for air. Swimming to an edge, Lelouch dragged the body of C up onto the bank, and looked up at the Lancelot. It began to back away. Lelouch's eyes widened, his panting suddenly stopping.

"He wouldn't," Lelouch said, unbelieving.

The white machine launched from the cliff, it's land-spinners roaring as the motors suddenly lost any traction of the ground. Lelouch cursed and began to move C, who was bruised and broken. He looked down at her, then back to the Lancelot. He couldn't evade the Lancelot and carry C, even as she was recovering. She was unrecognizable, her face swollen, and the rest of her was misshapen.

He ran as the Lancelot landed, throwing up a massive plume of dust, taking out a dozen trees as it did, making a sound like a dozen thunderbolts. As Lelouch ran, he saw the machine beginning to turn, recovering, but one of the machine's wheels had been ripped off from the leg upon the landing.

0.0.0

Suzaku gritted his teeth as Zero escaped. He tried to pursue, but the Lancelot was heavily damaged. A status screen revealed that he had no land-spinner on one leg, and the others frame was bent. Lancelot wasn't going anywhere. Suzaku drew his pistol as he triggered the Lancelot's opening cockpit, standing as soon as the roof wasn't over his head, aiming. Dropping from the Lancelot, Suzaku walked over to the white-clothed corpse. He grimaced at the state of her. He grabbed his headset, pressing the talk button.

"I'm sorry, Lord Guilfold," Suzaku began, reporting to the knight aboard the battleships off the coast. "I've damaged the Lancelot, and Zero managed to escape. I'm unable to pursue, but he is now totally alone."

'Understood, Kururugi,' Guilford said. 'We'll send the helicopters to you, stay with Lancelot.'

0.0.0

Lelouch finally stopped running, panting, and he grabbed a tree to bend over, breathing heavily. He quickly reached for his pistol, only to realize it was in the lake back there. He looked up at the sky in frustration, sighing. He removed his helmet, and unzipped the top half of his armor, allowing a breeze to begin to dry him. He checked what he had. His gefjun distributor was waterproof, and his grenades would still work. He had a small knife and a small survival kit.

What he didn't have was communications. Even if he'd had a cellphone, it might've been tracked, and he'd have to turn off the gefjun, which would reveal his location to everything electronic in the archipelago. It was almost uninhabited, no doubt why V had chosen this place for his stronghold.

He couldn't even use his Geass on Suzaku, since he'd already given his old friend the command to live. Even if any of the commandos had survived the attack of the Siegfried, they were probably captured by this point.

He thought of Euphemia. He couldn't allow himself to be killed. And surrender was too risky, since they might just kill him on the spot. Lelouch noted grimly that they might just hit the entire island with cruise missiles, destroying him wherever he went. He thought about hijacking the Lancelot. Even if Suzaku had left the key in, which was doubtful, it barely would function. And he couldn't carry the energy filler back up to the Raven.

'Zero!' came Suzaku's electronically amplified voice, 'Surrender and I can guarantee your safety.' Lelouch almost gave a giant laugh. Even if he could trust Suzaku, the commanders would not agree with any deals the knight made.

"Sorry, Suzaku," Lelouch said, to himself. "But I can't risk your superiors' actions." Donning his helmet again, Lelouch looked at his watch, then at the time. He began to walk for the coast, zipping up his armored suit. As he walked, he began to consider how V had known Lelouch was coming. It seemed certain that had he'd sent for a Britannian fleet, and the Lancelot Air Calvary.

It occurred to him that V might be omnipotent. C had always seemed to know where he was, perhaps V had a similar power. It was irrelevant either way. Either he knew where Lelouch was, or he didn't. Either way, Lelouch still needed to get out somehow.

0.0.0

C awoke inside a large black plastic bag. She could sense Lelouch's condition and location, and was relieved to see he'd survived. She was laying down, and she heard the engines of a helicopter, and could smell seawater. She didn't have any weapons, and no gadgets.

As she was carried off the helicopter, she heard people speaking, shouted orders, military men. Finally she was carried inside and put down on something softer. A bed? She heard the zipper being undone of the body bag, and it was yanked away, revealing her eyes to the softer lights. V was looking down at her, and C frowned.

"I take it you agree with your accomplice," V said, emotionless. C sat up, eying V with disgust.

"I don't agree or disagree with anyone," C said. "You should know that. I don't care about those things anymore." V frowned, unimpressed by her lack of concern.

"You didn't grow up as I did, in that decade of chaos," V said, angrily. "Deception, murder, greed. Mankind will be better in Ragnarok."

"Believe as you like," C declared, getting out of the body bag. "I won't fight your plan unless Lelouch needs my help to. I assume I'm your prisoner?"

"Correct, C," V said, confidently.

"Lelouch will be coming straight here, you know," C said, looking over her shoulder at V.

"I'd be amused if he didn't try."

0.0.0

Lloyd was examining the large black Knightmare, seeming ecstatic. He was jumping from part to part, muttering in excitement to himself as Cecile and Suzaku looked on.

"He's absolutely thrilled," Cecile informed Suzaku, who just looked at Lloyd in confusion, mouth agape. "It's not often he gets to play with another designer's Knightmare."

"Can he tell who built it?" Suzaku asked, looking to Cecile.

"Mmm! I can tell just from the new float system," Lloyd declared, walking over, his head cocked with overconfidence. "Only a few designer's could even design such a high-performance machine. This was Rakshata, for sure." Cecile reacted in a surprised gasp.

"Really?" Cecile asked, disbelieving and surprised. "I thought she was working in some aerospace contracts in India."

"It's not her style, but it's her machine alright," Lloyd said. "Too bad it ran out of energy, otherwise we'd be able to tell how they managed to perfect the hadron cannon."

"Could you equip one to the Lancelot?" Suzaku asked, eagerly. Lloyd looked at him, an interested smile plastered on his face.

"Oh," the designer said, mockingly, "little jealous of his firepower, are we?"

"It would be a nice design," Suzaku said, tempting Lloyd with building things for the Knightmare Frame Lancelot. Lloyd's eye narrowed.

"Maybe, Suzaku, maybe." He turned and stared at the black Knightmare. "Let's get an energy filler in it and see."

0.0.0

Schneizel was laying in his bed, panting. He rolled over and met Kanon's gaze, smiling. In the dark the two were laying nude beneath the sheets, both covered in sweat. Schneizel reached up, cupping his lover's face, smiling. Kanon leaned in and kissed his prince, moaning softly into Schneizel's mouth.

" _Can I interrupt?"_ Came a synthesized voice. Schneizel looked and saw Zero standing at the foot of his bed, a pistol in hand. Kanon gave a cry and spun to reach for his clothing. Zero raised a pistol. _"Don't."_ Kanon froze as Schneizel watched. As Kanon lay down straight again, Schneizel adjusted himself so he was sitting against the headboard.

"I'd ask how you got on board, but you wouldn't answer anyway," Schneizel said, his arms at his side, calmly.

" _I swam,"_ Zero said. Schneizel blinked, his normal smiling facade dropping away in surprise.

"Excuse me?"

" _I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at this, though,"_ Zero said, gesturing with his empty hand at the two men in bed together. _"Did you fuck him, Schneizel, or did he fuck you?"_ Kanon gave a hurtful hiss, leaning forward, before Schneizel stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"It's none of your business," Schneizel said, recovering his polite smile. "Can I help you with something, Master Zero?"

" _As a matter of fact, you can,"_ Zero said, lowering his pistol slightly. _"The Emperor."_

"My, you are ambitious," Schneizel said, chuckling as he looked over to stroke Kanon's shoulder, feeling his assistant's skin. Zero gave a loud growl, and raised the pistol. Schneizel just smiled wider. "Jealous?"

" _You have access to him, and you could have him stolen away."_ Zero said, ignoring Schneizel's comments. _"You know the Emperor will never give you the throne."_ Schneizel frowned, realizing the truth in the terrorist's comments.

"Yes, It does seem that he would place another above me," Schneizel said, his voice low in disappointment.

" _But if he's killed by a terrorist, you have the best claim to the throne if it's left to the order of succession. And you are already a commander, and the oldest prince remaining."_ Schneizel smirked, raising an eyebrow as he stroked Kanon's cheek absent-mindedly.

"And what do you get out of it?"

" _Closure,"_ Zero said. _"And in return, you get this,"_ he gestured at his mask. _"If you accept, meet me in the Aries Palace, three days from now."_

"And why should I accept?" Schneizel asked, curious.

" _Because it's the only way you'll ever stop me."_ With that, the lights turned on, and the terrorist had disappeared. Schneizel looked out into space, thoughtfully. The crown, and the terrorist's helmet? Interesting.

"Emperor Schneizel?" Kanon said, testing the combination and mocking Schneizel softly. Schneizel looked over at his assistant as he began to sink beneath the covers. Schneizel smiled as he felt Kanon take Schneizel into his mouth.

0.0.0

V and C were continuing to argue when V was shot in the head. C turned to see Lelouch, as Zero, standing in the corner with a suppressed pistol.

" _We need to leave,"_ Zero told the immortal witch, who merely walked behind him to follow him as they moved. As they managed to get to the hangar deck, Lelouch saw the Raven in a Knightmare hangar.

"Even if we get to the Knightmare, how will we escape with no power?" C asked.

" _Look,"_ zero said. C leaned around him, to see them installing a refrigerator-sized battery being installed into the back of the torso. An energy filler. The raven's eyes blinked red, and Zero saw Lloyd Asplund dancing around. He'd have to send a thank you. _"Now."_ The two ran, heading up the stairs to the Raven.

"Wait!" Suzaku shouted, running after them. Lelouch spun, aiming. C ran past him, still heading to the cockpit.

" _Start her up,"_ Zero ordered, and then he fired. Suzaku dodged, and got within fighting distance of Lelouch. Dropping the weapon, Lelouch countered a punch by Suzaku, kicking out himself. Before they could fight more, Lelouch ran back up the stairs, then turned and jumped, kicking Suzaku backwards. Finally he got to the cockpit and jumped inside, closing the pod behind him.

C began to drive the Knightmare out, following a large hallway in the ship. A few portmans were blocking the way. Lelouch fired up the hadron cannon.

" _Disappear,"_ Lelouch ordered, firing. The black and red beam hit the submersible Knightmares and destroyed them in one shot. Behind them was a elevator to the top deck. Lelouch activated the Energy wings, and the Knightmare felt weightless as they opened. As the Raven rose, Lelouch surveyed the top deck. A dozen men were working.

"We should get away while we still can. We may not have enough power to hit the mainland if we engage in a fight." C said, reading various screens from above and behind him. Lelouch raised the Raven, and aimed the machine.

0.0.0

Suzaku got to the top deck just in time to see the black Knightmare shoot away, leaving a trail of purple sparkles as it shot away. He gritted his teeth, clenching a fist. They'd had him. They'd had zero, and he'd gotten away.

"Aww," Lloyd complained from behind him, "and I wanted to fiddle around with that cannon!"

0.0.0

Lelouch gently leaned into his bedroom, and saw Euphemia sleeping alone in his black bed. He softly closed the door behind himself as he entered the room. He'd showered and changed as soon as he'd gotten back, even though he was physically exhausted. As he laid down, Euphemia stirred and turned over to see him. She saw him and threw her arms around him, excited and relieved. Lelouch gave a pained groan as she squeezed his sore body.

"Oh, sorry!" she said, recoiling. Lelouch gave her a tired smile. He gestured her over to him, and he threw an arm around her as she curled up against him. "I'm glad you're back," she told him against his chest.

"I was worried," Lelouch admitted. He reached under the sheets to feel what Euphemia was wearing, a small nightgown. He wrapped his arms around her waist, enjoying the shape of her body. "I was afraid I might never see you again." Euphemia climbed on top of him, breathing heavily.

"Well, if you're that worried, I can make you feel better," she whispered huskily. Lelouch gave a groan as she moved her mouth to his neck, kissing and biting his earlobe softly. The work she was doing on his neck, not to mention the thought that her flower was brushing against his crotch, caused it to twitch and awaken. Lelouch tried to move, but his muscles screamed in protest, still sore.

"Um," Lelouch said, loudly, drawing Euphemia's gaze as she pushed herself up on her hands and knees. "I had to swim the whole way from the beach to the ships. I'm...a little sore." She sat back on him, and felt the bump of his crotch against her womanhood. She looked down, then back to him.

"It seems one part of you is ready," she said, smiling teasingly. Lelouch sighed.

"Believe me, I'm ready," Lelouch said, frustration edging his voice, "just my muscles are tired." Euphemia cocked her head sideways, grinning, and sat up straight on his waist, then pulled her nightgown off over her head. As he saw her almost entirely naked form, he felt his cock twitch again. Euphemia looked down at his crotch as the motion and then back to him, and smiled mischievously.

"What are you thinking?" Lelouch asked accusingly, feeling increasingly nervous as her smile. She continued smiling as she stepped backward on her knees, then bent over, putting her face just over his crotch, looking up at him. She curled her fingers around the edge of his boxers and sleeping pants, and began to tug them down, slowly. Lelouch kept his eyes on hers, and she met his gaze as she wrapped a hand around him. Lelouch stopped her hand, panting.

"If you do that," Lelouch said, in a breathy hiss, "I'll finish, and I want to be inside you." After a second, he gritted his teeth. "Get up here and on your back," he ordered. Euphemia did so, crawling on her hands and knees, laying beside him. She reached down and slipped her pink panties off, but didn't throw them away. Lelouch ripped his shirt off, ignoring the pain in his shoulders and chest. He curled his legs and kicked his bottoms off the rest of the way.

"Can you think of anything to do with these?" Euphemia asked, handing him her panties. Lelouch chuckled and took them, smelling them. As he rolled onto her, his chin landing between her breasts, he gave her a smile.

"Anything?" he asked, mischievously. Euphemia nodded, grinning. He reached and grabbed her hands, and moved them up to the headbars, wrapping the panties around one wrist, going around a bar, then putting her other wrist in the other hole of the undergarments. Euphemia's breathing began to become a husky pant, and Lelouch lowered his face to her breasts, kissing, taking a nipple in between his teeth as he lowered his hands down her arms. As they reached her face, he began to rub his thumb around her lips. She opened her mouth, and he inserted his thumb into her mouth, feeling her teeth and tongue as he suckled her nipple, making her mewl softly.

Lelouch adjusted, getting his crotch against hers, and he reached down, aiming himself. He slowly entered Euphemia, drawing out the sensation as he pulled on her hip, impaling her on himself. She gave a sharp moan as he continued to impale her, still kissing her chest.

"Lelouch, please," Euphie mewled wistfully, "kiss me, oh please." Lelouch reached up, kissing her on the lips, moving his hand to the back of her head, cushioning her head. He moved in long, slow strokes against her, and she moaned as he drove deep into her each time. Her moans became high-pitched soft screams as they made love on the bed.

Euphemia finally ripped her hand free of the panties and threw her arms around Lelouch's neck as he pumped her. The pair of panties still around her wrist as they did. His hand moved to grab the panties from his neck, and Euphemia grabbed the hand, locking her fingers between his, squeezing his hand.

"Don't stop!" she ordered in a squeal. "Oh god!"

"Not quite. Lelouch," Lelouch said in her ear, and rammed inside her, and gave a groan as she felt his heat flood her insides, causing her to orgasm, her muscles milking him. Her orgasm triggered another of his, and they both arched their backs as they finished together over and over.

Lelouch buried his face in her shoulder as Euphemia panting. For a few minutes she regained her breath, panting. Lelouch didn't move, just breathing. Then she realized he was snoring against her shoulder. She sighed, trying not to giggle hysterically.

0.0.0


	17. Turn 16

**The Black Knight**

Disclaimer:Jeremiah: The following is non-profit, fan-written work of fiction, thought of developed by a team of scientists in a lab to create the ultimate robotic knight! Wait, why does this sound like a final boss of a video game, or an anime? Like some guy that was embarrassed by Zero with some fruit or color as a random word that they used to shame him, but then he comes back as some freaky cyborg? Why do I feel itchy?

 **Turn 16 Zero Hour**

Lelouch awoke with a groan. His muscles were better, but they still felt sore. Euphemia was missing, and he felt her absence like a pain. He sat up and saw that he was dressed. Carefully he set his feet on the floor and stood. His legs protested, but he was able to stand with strength.

The door opened to reveal Euphemia, and she was carrying some breakfast. She blinked in surprise as he was awake.

"Hi," Lelouch said, smiling a tired smile as he spoke.

"You're awake," Euphemia said, pleasantly surprised. Lelouch nodded, and Euphemia looked at the breakfast in her hands. She stepped past him and set it down, removing the lid to reveal some eggs and bacon. "I figured you needed protein."

"Yeah, it would be best," Lelouch admitted. "How did you sleep?"

"It could've been better," Euphemia said, turning. She held up a plate to his face. Lelouch took it and slipped a piece of bacon into his mouth. "I was kinda pinned underneath you." Lelouch swallowed and grinned.

"You were a bit persistent about it," Lelouch commented, cheerfully. Euphemia blushed, remembering her behavior last night. Euphemia was about to mutter an apology when Lelouch spoke again. "It's okay. I'm glad you made me." He picked up the tray and set it down on the bed, then dragged Euphemia over. He sat down, picking at the bacon. Euphemia handed him a fork from the tray.

They ate in a comfortable silence, looking at each other as they did.

"Were you really fighting in china?" Euphemia asked, in excited curiosity. Lelouch chuckled softly to himself.

"It wasn't that glamorous. Though I did have a theatrical streak." Lelouch paused and reached up to wipe something from the corner of Euphemia's mouth. Euphemia blushed, suddenly feeling unladylike and quickly cleaned up her face. Lelouch smirked, eyes narrowing in amusement. "You don't need to be a lady with me."

"Sorry," Euphemia said, still wiping her face. "It's kind of humiliating." Lelouch sighed.

"You're beautiful," Lelouch said, making Euphemia look up at him and blush. "All the time. I just wish you all could see how you look through my eyes." Lelouch sighed again, looking up at the ceiling. "Too bad my Geass doesn't do that." Euphemia looked back down, avoiding eye contact.

"I'm not that beautiful," Euphemia said, making Lelouch frown.

"You don't believe me?" Lelouch asked, hurt. Euphemia frowned, and Lelouch moved the tray, setting it down on the floor beside the bed. He leaned in, grabbing Euphie's chin and lifting her face. Euphemia stammered, unable to speak as Lelouch's eyes bored into hers. Lelouch sighed and frowned, then let go, disappointed. Lelouch bent down and picked up the tray and stood.

"Lelouch," Euphemia said, "while we were growing up together, everybody said I was beautiful. I never believed it, because when I saw you, you were the most beautiful thing I could think of." Lelouch looked over his shoulder in wide-eyed surprise. "And when I knew we were going to be together, I couldn't even believe how lucky I thought I was."

"So you didn't believe you were the beautiful one?" Lelouch asked, eyes narrowing in disbelief.

"Yeah," Euphemia admitted. Lelouch sighed.

"I'm never gonna convince you, am I?"

0.0.0

Britannian reconnaissance flights were a common occurrence. It always a boring patrol. Few military groups could even approach Pendragon without being noticed by radar, or the other methods of detection that surrounded the Britannian coast lines.

Mark was a young pilot, barely out of the academy, barely a pilot. Hence why he'd been assigned to one of the most boring duties in the entire Britannian Military. The Royal Air Force was a large force, many interesting jobs. This wasn't one of them. As he headed east in his patrol, he flew over the mountains. What met him wasn't the usual desert, however. What met him was a large military force, lorded over by a massive airship. He cursed and reached for his radio when a missile shot out, striking his chopper's tail rotor.

As he fought to regain control of the vehicle, he tried to get to his radio. Only static answered him. The last thing he saw, was a V, with a sword through it.

0.0.0

Jeremiah was eating breakfast when his doorbell rang. His house wasn't a large affair, but it took him a few seconds to get to the front door. Opening it revealed a delivery boy who handed him a large parcel, all cardboard box. The boy moved on with a uncaring nod. Jeremiah raised an eyebrow as he saw that it had no return address. Instead of his name, it was simply a generic title.

Jeremiah closed the door, wondering at the package. He could spot others being given similar packages, but didn't pay attention. Moving to his kitchen, he pulled a pocket knife and cut the tape, unsealing it.

When he opened it, Zero's mask greeted him. Bloody hell, he thought, incredulous. He withdrew the mask and a black and red cape. How stupid was Lelouch?

0.0.0

Lelouch was tossing his Zero helmet in the air and catching it as Milly and Rivalz worked on the computer. Lelouch was pacing behind them, smiling to himself. Euphemia watched from the corner of the room along with Kallen. Lelouch tossed his Zero mask too high and stopped to catch it with both hands, chuckling.

"I wonder how many people are enraged right now," Lelouch said to the room, not looking in anyone's direction as he spoke. He put his fist in his helmet and spun the mask around his wrist.

"How many did we send out?" Rivalz asked, amused and excited.

Lelouch shrugged to himself, spinning his helmet between his hands, skipping absent-mindedly to the clicks and clacks of the keyboards as Milly and Rivalz worked. Lelouch spun over to Euphemia and offered his hand. Euphemia took it and Lelouch pulled her to her feet, dancing with her, his other arm holding his Zero helmet around her waist.

"You're insane," Kallen commented to Lelouch.

"'In an insane world,'" Lelouch quoted as he danced with Euphemia, smiling, "'a sane man must appear insane.'"

"'A picture's worth a thousand words,'" Rivalz said, joining in the quotations.

"'All's well that ends well,'" Milly added.

"'In view,'" Euphemia began, "'a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox-populi, now vacant and vanished. However, this visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vouchsafing vice and the violent violation of volition! The only verdict is vengeance, a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the virtue and veracity of such will one day vindicate the vigilant and virtuous.'" Lelouch and Euphemia had stopped dancing as Euphemia quoted, Lelouch looking at her in mixed confusion and awe. Milly and Rivalz were both staring as well, mouths agape.

"What?" Euphemia asked, looking from Lelouch to the two at the computers and back.

"You've been memorizing the thesaurus again, haven't you?" Lelouch asked, narrowing an eye.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Euphemia said, haughtily, as she resumed dancing with Lelouch.

"I might have to use that someday," Lelouch said, smiling at his half-sister.

"For what," Kallen questioned, eyebrows raised in disbelief, "A library opening?" Lelouch and Euphemia paused, Lelouch's brow furrowing in thought.

"Maybe a movie about my life," Lelouch commented, thoughtfully.

"Maybe just a book," Euphemia suggested, wincing.

"Done!" Milly declared, punctuating her sentence by loudly pressing a key on her keyboard. Lelouch separated from Euphemia, and bowed, Euphemia curtsying in response. As Lelouch straightened, he donned his helmet and flapped his cloak straight.

"Nobles are weird," Kallen said, sighing as Zero walked over to face the camera in the corner of the room.

0.0.0

Jeremiah was still pondering his new gift when the screen of his television flashed back. Jeremiah looked up at the sudden lack of the picture minutes before. Then, the symbol appeared. Jeremiah sighed as he realized what it was. The same symbol he'd seen in the Britannian Broadcast Tower, when Zero had declared his intentions.

" _Britannia! I'm sure you remember me, and if you're gotten your morning mail, by now you've seen my mask today. I come to you now to announce that your death and rebirth is at hand! My army, the Black Knights, lie to the east of your city. By nightfall, we will be upon you!"_

0.0.0

Diethard was agape before the Emperor as Zero spoke on the television. The Emperor angrily turned to Diethard, who merely met his infuriated gaze with stammers and mutterings. Charles zi Britannia turned to Bismark Walstein, who looked in turn to Lucario Bradley and nodded. Lucario smiled and began to approach Diethard, sword drawn, as Zero spoke again. Schneizel just watched from his father's side.

" _A long time ago, a great man wished to ensure our freedom from Tyranny, the founder of our Empire, the legendary Eowyn, whom led our ancestors from out birth-land to our new home! But now, after Two-thousand and eighteen years, Britannia is the Tyrant!"_

0.0.0

Suzaku angrily watched the television with Lloyd and Cecile, standing before the repaired Lancelot. Suzaku curled his hand into a fist, and looked at the pin in his other hand, the pin he wore as Euphemia's sworn knight, a sword with four white wings.

" _Britannia must be reminded that fairness, justice, and equality are more than words. They are perspectives! If the crimes of this nation are unknown to you, then I suggest you let this day remain uneventful to you. But if you feel, as I feel, if you believe what I believe, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to don your mask and cloak, and join us to raze Pendragon!"_

0.0.0

Chigasa dropped a couple of plates as she saw the screen, her eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Ohgi looked over from the couch in concern, until he saw Zero spread his arms wide on the television. He stood, concerned.

"Chigasa?" Ohgi asked, stepping over to the dark-skinned beauty.

"Zero!" she hissed, in shock. Ohgi inhaled in worry, eyes widening.

0.0.0

Kallen watched as Zero held out his hand to the camera.

" _So, just as the General George Washington, we declare a rebellion! Our Rebellion, a Black Rebellion, and together we shall make a war that will never, ever, be forgot!"_

0.0.0

Tohdoh watched the television with the remains of the four holy swords, his face severe and strict as the screen went black. The three members, behind him, looked amongst themselves.

"He just declared war on half the world," Kotetsu said, concerned, adjusting his glasses.

"Of course," Tohdoh said, turning to face his students. "This was always the end goal. Nothing has changed from our rebellion in Japan, only the location."

0.0.0

C frowned as she curled up in her chair.

"But this time the enemy is more than just an invading army," she said to herself. "This time Lelouch is invading Britannia, for his mother, for Nunnally. To him, this makes more sense than invading a place for sakuradite, or power, or wealth."

0.0.0

Schneizel closed the door behind him, sitting across the table from Kanon, who followed him from the Emperor's throne room.

"This time the enemy is evenly matched," Schneizel told his assistant. "And Britannia's wrath will be terrible, since this attack takes place on its holy soil."

0.0.0

"Our enemy has many advantages," Xingke told the Empress Tianzi, kneeling before her dutifully, in his Black Knight uniform. "This is their city. Their commanders are her to lead directly. But we have advantages ourselves. We fight for justice."

0.0.0

"And that's why," Lelouch told Euphemia, taking off his helmet, "I will win," he declared, revealing his purple eyes, burning with glorious purpose.

0.0.0

A few hours later, Schneizel stood before the military commanders in the command center of the Imperial Palace. Schneizel sat as information began to appear before them on the massive screens that lined the white room.

"I will take personal overall command of the Holy Imperial Army," Schneizel declared. "We shall move the royal family entirely to the Damocles Fortress on the west edge of Pendragon." The commanders looked between each other, muttering nervously. The Damocles was the final fortress of Britannia, built to withstand everything, after Britannia's previous defenses failed. It was an extreme step, one that Schneizel would never normally use.

"My Prince, the enemy is here now," Supreme General Sutherland declared, standing. "We have no time to move the family to Damocles. We should gather all our forces and move on the black knights' position."

"To do so," Schneizel said, contradicting Sutherland, "Would be counter-productive. Our forces know the Pendragon streets. And if we did move to face them, we would be coming at a position of defense, like dropping an egg on an anvil. Instead, we shall take up position for a siege and be an anvil against the Black Knights until our reinforcements arrive."

0.0.0

Zero sat in a throne on the Black Knight airship, the Ikaruga, at the head of the Black Knight's war council. Among the council were Tohdoh, Xingke, and Rakshata. Kallen and Sayoko sat to Zero's left as he spoke.

"Schneizel won't leave Pendragon to face us. He knows that if he does, he'll be attacking an unknown force, with no idea of our composition. He'll settle in for a prolonged siege, hoping for reinforcements."

"That means a static line of defense," Tohdoh declared, agreeing with Lelouch. The samurai had a hand on his katana, dressed in his black pilot's suit. "That's against a Knightmare Frame's abilities. Schneizel must have a trick up his sleeve."

"The Avalon," Lelouch declared, his helmet in his lap.

"A fortress?" Rakshata asked, laying in a couch nearby Lelouch's right arm.

"An airship," Lelouch declared. "Designed to back up the Lancelot as its carrier and battleship. But it's not enough to destroy the Ikaruga, and we can force it to remain in a dead lock against the Ikaruga's cannons."

"They'll counter with attack craft," Tohdoh pointed out.

"That's where the Sun Tzu comes in," Xingke declared.

0.0.0

The Sun Tzu, the giant red Chinese airship, suddenly dropped the bottom plating. Underneath were five dozen long-range cannons, which promptly aimed and began to fire at all aircraft over Pendragon.

Schneizel witnessed this from the command center, and narrowed his eyes. He continued, however, to smile.

0.0.0

"But," Lelouch said, sighing, "They'll counter with Knightmares. By now, the float system's been installed on at least some of the military forces, and maybe even the Knights of the Rounds. We'll need to use Rakshata's new float system to protect the Sun Tzu and Ikaruga."

0.0.0

The Avalon was a giant white and gold machine, loaded with large machine guns and a multiple missile launcher on the top. As it launched, the float system lit up green, creating a massive repellant force underneath the large craft. As it lifted off, Suzaku could feel the vibrations inside the Lancelot. He frowned and looked over. The Galahad, Mordred, Percival, and Tristan were also in the Avalon, boasting new wings.

The Galahad approached the Lancelot, and Suzaku felt his urge to live hit him as the Knight of One's Knightmare Frame stopped beside him.

"Remember, Kururugi," Bismark Walstein said, arrogance hardening his voice, "we're here to destroy the airship. Don't hesitate." Suzaku looked in the opposite direction, to the new missile installed atop the Lancelot. A gift from Schneizel, the Knight of One had called it, as well as a last resort.

Outside, the Avalon, now in the air and facing the larger Chinese aircraft, fired ten missiles towards it. As the missiles began to close in, a giant pair of red and black beams cut through the space between the two airships, detonating the missiles.

From the bridge of the Avalon, Schneizel, Lloyd, and Cecile saw the large beams.

"Hadron Cannons?" Lloyd asked, disbelieving, "Zero's already made an appearance?"

"Magnify the source," Schneizel ordered a technician, and main view screen opened a second screen that showed a large grey airship closing, the black knights' symbol emblazoned on the front.

"Another airship?" Lloyd asked, leaning back in astonishment.

"They're firing again, sir!" Schneizel saw it, the two particle guns charging.

"Raise the blaze luminous," Schneizel ordered. A green circular barrier surrounded the Avalon, blocking the now incoming beams. The particle beams sputtered and spit against the energies of the Avalon's defense. Schneizel glanced at Cecile, who looked over her shoulder and nodded. Schneizel smiled.

"But with the shields up we won't be able to fire," Lloyd warned.

"As soon as we can, launch the float system equipped Knightmares," Schneizel replied. "If they're able to destroy the first airship, then the second one needn't be a problem."

0.0.0

Lelouch and C sat in the cockpit of the Raven. The Black Knightmare stood atop the Ikaruga, flanked by Kallen's Guren, Tohdoh's Zangetsu, Xingke's Shen-hu, and the remaining Holy Swords in their Gekkas. As the Ikaruga flew over the outskirts of Pendragon, Akatsuki Knightmare Frames began to open fire on the ground in its wake, engaging the Britannian Ground Forces.

"As I thought," Lelouch said to himself. "The Ikaruga's Hadron Cannons negate the Avalon's offense. With those shields the Avalon can't fire."

"No," C agreed, typing in her back seat. "But they've launched Knightmare Frames in between our fire. Five Knightmares. One of them is the Lancelot, and the Galahad." Lelouch absorbed this. The Knight of One had joined the battle in the sky. He looked over his shoulder. Tohdoh's Knightmare wasn't up to spec, even against the technically inferior Galahad, a sixth generation Knightmare. The Galahad's sword would even the odds. Kallen wasn't experienced enough to fight the Knight of One, and neither were the holy swords. But if Lelouch engaged the Knight of One, the Mordred could use its own cannons on the Sun Tzu.

'Zero,' came Xingke's voice, and a video message appeared on Lelouch's center screen. 'They've launched Knightmares. I'll defend the ship from the Mordred.'

"No," Lelouch replied, frowning. "I'll handle the Mordred. I need you to take out the Knight of One. Have the ship's Gun-Rus open fire, try to have them lay down a blanket of fire." Lelouch frowned as soon as Xingke cut the connection. This had to work. Or the Rebellion hinged on something Lelouch couldn't do. Beat Schneizel in a fair game.

0.0.0

Ohgi watched Chigasa drop to her knees, holding her head. He wanted to say or do something, anything, but he couldn't think of anything to help. In Chigasa's head, gates were unlocked at the sight of the terrorist, who was now laying siege to a Britannian City.

No...not just any city. HER city. She let go of her head, frowning in anger as she remembered. A hand gripped her shoulder, and she knew it was Ohgi's. It almost made her pause. Ohgi had helped her, and saved her life. She remembered it. But she was a loyal knight of Britannia. She couldn't stop now.

Suddenly she bolted into action, throwing Ohgi to the ground, and grabbed a knife, walking for the door.

"Chigasa!" Ohgi called, coughing. She spun, angrily.

"That's not my name!" she shouted. Ohgi reacted in shock. A part of her regretted it. She had to silence that part. "My name is Villeta Nu, and I'm a Knight of Britannia! I'm sorry, but I can't let an Eleven stop me from my duty to my country!" Ohgi drew a pistol, aiming. Villeta froze. She hadn't seen that.

"Please," she said, as Ohgi stood up. "I don't want to hurt you, Ohgi. I have a duty."

"So do I!" Ohgi shouted, angry. The pistol didn't waver. Villeta admired that. "I should be fighting too! I'm a Black Knight!" He gritted his teeth, brow furrowing. Villeta gritted her own teeth, angrily.

"You're a traitor," she said, stating the obvious.

"I'm a freedom fighter," Ohgi said, his determination returning. Villeta looked Ohgi up and down, assessing. He wasn't overweight, and he seemed pretty fit. Villeta wasn't sure if she could take him, even by herself. The knife in her hand wasn't good for much. Then she met his eyes again. His determination was wavering just looking at her.

"Ohgi," she said, trying to make herself sound emotional. When he wavered even more at her speaking his name, she struck, quickly slashing his hand with the knife. He cried out, and began to raise the pistol to shoot. By the time it went off, she had dropped to kick his legs from beneath him. As he fell, she jumped atop him, raising the knife.

She plunged it into him, crying out. Then the gun went off, and she felt the bullet go through her chest. She gasped, and their eyes met again. Her body began to feel heavy, and she looked down at Ohgi, who met her gaze, the light in his eyes going.

"No," she said, realizing what she'd done. She'd killed the man who saved her life. He'd killed her too, though, and she felt her body dropping atop him.

"Chigasa," Ohgi whispered with the last of his strength. By then she was already dead atop him, her head in the crook of his neck. His arms fell back as he finally felt his body letting go.

0.0.0

Suzaku flew at the large red Chinese ship, blocking the ship's weapon fire with his shields. As soon as he was in range he pressed down on the button on the control rein, raising his VARIS rifle. Before he could fire, a blade cut the weapon in half, and Suzaku and the Lancelot were knocked backward by a black Knightmare with red hair. Suzaku stabilized the Lancelot, looking to see his opponent.

'Suzaku!' came Tohdoh's voice. Suzaku's eyes widened. His former master's voice had come from the black Knightmare, a sword in hand.

"Sensei?" Suzaku asked. He gritted his teeth. "Sensei, I beg you, move out of my way!"

'And what if I don't, Suzaku?' Tohdoh said, raising his sword in both of the Knightmare's hands. Suzaku looked down, in shame.

"Then I'll have to make you move!" he shouted, looking up. He shot the Lancelot forward, drawing one of the prototype Knightmare's MVS swords. The red-hot blade met the katana chain-sword, and sparks flew as the two fought near the red ship.

Nearby Xingke's Shen Hu fired its cannon at the Galahad, which was dodging the lightning-bolt like beam, it's massive sword not drawn yet. Xingke coughed, and felt blood fill his mouth. He gritted his teeth and swallowed, and raised his Knightmare's swords. The Galahad finally reached behind its back, drawing the massive sword.

"Now you feel the anger of my ancestors," Xingke told the large Knightmare. "Shen Hu, consume my body if you must, but destroy this murderer!" he shot the machine forward on its float system, and the Galahad likewise charged.

Kallen was engaging the oddly-built Percival, countering its brutal drill weapon with the Guren's Radiant Wave Surge Arm. The battle had quickly turned to a melee, no opponent willing to go all in against any target. A battle of evasion, flying around dodging blows. As she deflected a blow from the Percival's shield, knocking the enemy away, she saw the Tristan fighting the holy swords.

0.0.0

Lelouch's machine faced the Mordred, which simply floated before him, not raising its arms. Below them the machines were dancing around each other. But up here, their powerful Hadron cannons could end the battle in a few shots. But whoever shot first would die in the retaliation. The Mordred could overpower the Raven's shields, and the Raven could destroy the Mordred.

0.0.0

'Suzaku, tell me why you joined Britannia instead of your own kind!' Tohdoh demanded in anger as he crossed blades with the Lancelot. Suzaku and Tohdoh fought with everything they had, but Suzaku couldn't match his former sensei, and Tohdoh's Zangetsu couldn't match the Lancelot.

"Because, if we are to bring back our homeland, it has to be from inside the system!" Suzaku declared, firing his slash harkens. The rocket anchors were quickly deflected by Tohdoh with his revolving blade sword, and Suzaku dashed in again, swinging both swords. Tohdoh flew over, dodging, and kicked the Lancelot back down.

'A system that destroys Japan!' Tohdoh roared, slashing down. Suzaku blocked with his Knightmare's shields, gritting his teeth.

"We can't solve this with rebellion! We'll only incur the further wrath of Britannia!" Suzaku cried, and tried to spin to bring his swords to bear. Instead the Zangetsu blocked, and then slashed downward, the back of the sword lighting up blue as the boosters in it fired. Suzaku tried to dodge, too late. The chain-saw bladed sword cut through the Lancelot's shoulder, cutting the arm off entirely. Suzaku gave a cry, and then he felt his mind shift.

His eyes tinted red, and he quickly switched to his last restort, and fired the missile.

0.0.0

Lelouch's screens lit up all of a sudden. He recoiled at the warning. Radiation? Why would anyone put a radioactive element in a missile? A Nuclear reactor, inside of a bomb? He quickly flew to intercept the missile, as it was heading for the Chinese Airship.

"No, Lelouch!" C cried out. The missile suddenly lit up, and Lelouch gritted his teeth.

The light turned to fire as the missile went off, becoming a glowing ball of plasma, blowing Lelouch away with the sudden explosion of air. Lelouch backed away, along with the rest of the flying Knightmare Frames.

0.0.0

Inside the Avalon, Lloyd and Cecile covered their eyes. Schneizel smiled as the Fleija bomb went hypercritical, the Sakuradite ball inside turning to energy as it was split. The ball of plasma, consuming the red airship, suddenly turned to light again.

0.0.0

Lelouch could only stare in shock as the pink ball of light grew and grew, until finally it ceased, leaving behind a shockwave. The Sun Tzu had simply been vaporized, it wasn't even a burnt cinder. Tianzi. Lelouch realized what had happened and slammed a fist down on his control rein, crying out. Dammit, he hadn't expected Britannia to have made such a hideous weapon.

'No,' came Xingke's stunned voice, making Lelouch look up in worry. 'The empress...'

"Xingke," Lelouch said, trying to comfort his friend, "I'm sorry-"

He was cut off by the Galahad splitting the blue and gold Knightmare in two with its massive sword. Lelouch's eyes widened in that moment. The machine exploded, bathing the Galahad in fire. Rage filled Lelouch's veins suddenly, and he turned, his face now a predatory snarl. He fired his hadron cannon and caught the Galahad in the torso, destroying it instantly. As the cloud faded, Lelouch began to look for other targets.

0.0.0

Suzaku fell upon the Zangetsu, fighting now mindlessly now that his Geass command had become active, swinging his remaining arm. Tohdoh blocked, and Suzaku knocked the blade away, leaving the Zangetsu briefly defenseless. Suzaku seized the opportunity, stabbing.

Suzaku blinked and felt his mind returning. He was in the Lancelot, his sword impaling the Zangetsu's cockpit, and he saw Tohdoh burning, impaled on the blade. Suzaku's eyes widened in sheer horror, and he moved a hand to his open mouth.

"What..." Suzaku said, unable to think. "What have I done?" He dropped the controls, and the black Knightmare Frame and Tohdoh dropped, falling into the city below. His urge to live, that Geass command. It had made Suzaku into a murderer... Zero. Suzaku saw in the corner of his eye the Raven, Zero's Knightmare. Suzaku's mindless drive to live, Zero's ultimate punishment for Suzaku, had forced him to murder his teacher. Before Suzaku could launch at the winged black Knightmare, the Tristan came to float beside his Lancelot.

'Suzaku!' came Gino's alarmed voice. 'You're in no condition to keep fighting! Fall back to the Avalon, myself and Anya will keep fighting.'

'Fall back to the Avalon,' Schneizel's voice came over the radio. 'As it is, we can only lose our strength, and we need to sustain our battle-strength.' Suzaku blinked at the prince's words.

"But, Prince Schneizel," Suzaku said, speaking before Gino or Anya did.

'It's okay, Suzaku,' Gino said over the communications. 'He's right. We're beginning to run low on our energy fillers.' Suzaku frowned as he had to admit that Gino was right.

0.0.0

Lelouch stopped before he attacked. If he lost all thought now, Schneizel would destroy him in a few hours. He backed away, heading toward the Ikaruga, slowing his breathing. He saw Kallen fighting the knight of ten. The Guren wasn't as new as the Percival, but it was just as powerful. As he sat back and watched her fight the knight.

Kallen wasn't experienced like a knight of the rounds. But the Guren, not to mention her natural predilection, canceled out the disadvantage. _She's like the second coming of the flash,_ Lelouch thought to himself.

"She reminds me of the Lady Marianne," C said, drawing Lelouch's attention. The way she'd said his mother's name made Lelouch curious. Had C known Marianne?

"Yeah," Lelouch said, softly, almost to himself. "You knew her, didn't you?" C recoiled at the question, mouth opening in surprise. Then she closed her mouth, frowning.

"I shouldn't have mentioned her, should I?" When Lelouch didn't answer except for a knowing smile, C continued. "I knew her. I can't explain it now, but I'll tell you later."

"You don't need to explain," Lelouch said, looking back to the center screen. As Kallen was fighting the Vampire of Britannia, he spoke again. "I don't need to know. My mother was her own person, I just honor her. Now, let's get rid of one more knight of the rounds."

0.0.0

Kallen was fighting the oddly-shaped white and red Knightmare. As she began to deflect again, she heard Lelouch ordering her over the radio.

'Kallen,' came the order, 'dodge to your left!' Kallen threw her control reins to the left, and guren shot to the left.

0.0.0

Lucario Bradley saw the red Knightmare Frame jump to the left and saw a Black Knightmare flying at him with its massive purple wings. He raised his physical shield and felt the MVS blade hit the large shield. The Percival rocked at the impact, and Lucario turned instantly worried.

The shield was suddenly knocked away and another sword moved from behind it to impale the Percival. Lucario reacted with the drill-like blade on the other arm, knocking the blade down to where it missed, then pulled the drill back and began to draw back his drill arm in order to stab the black Knightmare.

Lucario gave a savage grin as he threw the Knightmare's drill forward, but the Percival vibrated and the arm failed to move. Lucario looked over and saw a blaze luminous shield stopping the drill in its place. The shield was purple like the wings of the Knightmare.

"How did you...?" he was cut off as his cockpit rocked from an impact. A MVS blade had pierced the black Knightmare in the gut. The power inside the cockpit cut out.

"No!" Lucario shouted, suddenly fearful. "This can't be, I'm the Vampire of Britannia!"

0.0.0

Lelouch smiled as the Percival went limp and its systems died. Lelouch grinned to himself as he selected his hadron cannon. As the energy weapon charged, Lelouch could hear the Knight's desperate, insane, and violent screams through the radio.

"You were good, Vampire of Britannia, but you're no match for a Black Warlock," Lelouch said, then he fired, burning a whole through the Percival. The white and red Knightmare Frame was blasted right through, and burned to scraps of melted metal. Lelouch flicked the sword he'd used to impale the Percival, flicking the hot metal from the blade.

"All Black Knights," Lelouch said into the radio, "Fall back to your defensive positions. The Holy Swords, I need you to lead the remaining forces. Without Tohdoh, you're the best option I have for commanders."

'Lelouch,' Kallen said over the radio, 'I had him.' Lelouch frowned.

"Kallen, you haven't killed yet," Lelouch said. "If you're lucky, you won't need to. Fall back to Ikaruga and get some rest." Lelouch looked down at the text message he'd received while he watched Kallen fight. Coordinates. For the Aries Palace.

"You realize that's a trap?" C asked from behind him. Lelouch smiled and narrowed his eyes.

"It's an invitation," Lelouch said. "The final game is at hand."


	18. Turn 17 (Finale)(?)

**The Black Knight**

Diclaimer: Lucario: well, now that I'm dead, does this mean that I get my paycheck?

Lelouch: Uh, no, we actually donated that to charity?

Lucario: What? Well, what about my life insurance?

Lelouch: Uh, that was also donated.

Lucario: What didn't you donate to charity?

Lelouch: Everything! We're non-profit!

 **Alas, the end has come. Sort of. I used this ending to start a completely new fanfic, but it's not that great. But the demon and red moon has finished its first chapter (yay) and it's...ten pages. AH FUCK NOT AGAIN! I'll post the sequel to this, although it's basically just a code geass/batman fantasy. And the Demon and Red Moon will get posted eventually once I have enough to maintain a good update rate. Hopefully not as fast as this, but I'd prefer to keep up a weekly basis.**

 **Turn 17 Code Geass**

Lelouch set his Knightmare Frame down behind the Asplund Mansion. As he did he saw Euphemia standing outside watching. Lelouch smiled as she saw him waiting. Like a queen greeting a conquering commander. He briefly thought what an Empress Euphemia would've been. If only fate hadn't waylaid them both.

"Lelouch," C said, cautiously, "have you thought what will happen after you're done here?" Lelouch blinked as he realized she was right. If it ended in the next twenty-four hours, he might actually be finally really done.

"Not even once," Lelouch admitted. "Ask me afterward." C sighed and looked up. Lelouch chuckled to himself. "It's never been worth thinking about. The future isn't something one should try to plan out. Unpredictability is one of the best things in life."

"Lelouch," C said, taken aback at his words, "that's beautiful." C began to think about her own future. She'd always just existed, collecting experiences. She'd been traumatized by her many years, seeing anyone she cared about die, her own multiple deaths.

"She's so bright," Lelouch said, interrupting C's thoughts. "I keep thinking about the differences between the two of us and her."

"You mean the differences between a Geass User, an Immortal witch, and a perfectly normal human?" C said, curious.

"You and I have seen the darkness of humanity," Lelouch said as he opened the cockpit pod. "It's in my soul and my hair, and you've witnessed more than I could imagine. But she-" he gestured at Euphemia, "-she's never seen the kind of things we've seen."

"Lelouch," C said, suddenly chiding. "I don't think she's as innocent as you want her to be. You forget, she was raised in the same palace as you." Lelouch smiled as the two climbed from the seats.

"That's true," Lelouch admitted, facing the witch. "I was just thinking aloud. Why were you asking? Afraid I wouldn't remember my contract?" C blushed and looked away. Lelouch blinked in surprise. "That's unlike you, C. Blushing like a schoolgirl." Lelouch turned and C frowned to herself. He was right. She was feeling emotions she'd never thought she still had inside her.

"You remember my name, don't you?" She'd told him long ago, after they'd made their contract. Lelouch twisted to look around at her, smiling.

"Yeah, I do," Lelouch said, grinning. C eyed her left, thoughtfully. "You want me to say it?" C looked back at him again, forcing her face to remain straight. Lelouch smiled and said her name, and she felt parts of her moving that she hadn't felt in...she didn't remember how long. Lelouch just kept looking at C as Euphemia approached.

"What are you talking about?" Euphemia asked, pleasantly. Lelouch smiled at C, who gave a small smile.

"Just old promises," Lelouch said, turning back to Euphemia.

"What kind of promise?" Euphemia asked, suddenly concerned. Lelouch glanced back at C again, his expression careful. C frowned and then looked to Euphemia.

"I gave him the power of Geass in exchange for one wish," C said matter-of-factly.

"What wish?" Euphemia asked in reply, worry in her eyes.

"Death," C said, shocking Euphemia. Lelouch frowned as Euphemia stared at C, her mouth agape. "I've been alive for longer than I can remember. There's not one day when I haven't been reminded that everyone I've ever known or loved as aged and died, all the time while I stay the same."

"But you can't! If you died while you were still unhappy, how could you say you lived?" C smiled as Euphemia spoke, echoing Lelouch's own opinion.

"Death is easy," C said, sorrowfully. "But Lelouch, he's made me think about that desire. I think it's long past time to stop accumulating experiences, and start living." Euphemia threw her arms around C as she finished, shocking the immortal witch. C finally put an arm around her, awkwardly. When Euphemia finally broke the hug, C repressed a sigh of relief.

"If you ever need anything of me and Lelouch, please don't be afraid to ask!" Euphemia ordered, willfully. Lelouch sighed, walking away.

"What a pain," he muttered, running his fingers through his hair.

"You are a pain, warlock," C remarked flatly in irritation.

"Be quiet, witch," Lelouch replied, his back to her.

0.0.0

As Lelouch entered his sanctum, Cornelia was waiting for him, frowning. Lelouch matched her frown, irritated at her presence in his area. He set down his helmet on the table and peeled off his gloves. He unzipped the top of his armored uniform and peeled the top off, leaving him naked from the waist up, and he finally turned to face Cornelia.

"You seem particularly confident in your anger at me," Lelouch commented, drawing Cornelia's frown. Lelouch pondered why she was angry.

"That weapon that was equipped to the Lancelot," Cornelia said, pausing at Lelouch's narrowed eyes, "I didn't know we even were developing anything like that." Lelouch sighed, cocking his head back, closing his eyes.

"I knew they were working on it, but I didn't think they had already mastered it," Lelouch said, drawing Cornelia's narrow eyed surprise. "In Japan, a student managed to use Sakuradite to enhance a nuclear power source. That weapon didn't detonate, but it seems someone used her research to perfect it. Of course Schneizel would keep it for himself."

"And in the process, the other countries that still resist Britannia will be driven to fear it even more," Cornelia added, clenching her fist and jaw. Lelouch looked to see her staring into space. She was right, no one would dare to attempt to withstand Britannia's expansionism now. The Fleijas would only increase Britannia's sheer strength.

"It's good," Lelouch said, and Cornelia looked at him again in shocked anger. "Britannia will become a symbol of hatred. When I cut out it's beating heart, the world will cheer." Cornelia suddenly drew a pistol, aiming at Lelouch. _Where did she get that?_

"I can't let you do that," Cornelia said. The elevator door opened again, and Lelouch heard Euphemia gasp and begin to walk over hurriedly. "Stop, Euphie!" Cornelia ordered. The footsteps stopped, and Lelouch narrowed his eyes, meeting Cornelia's resolute gaze.

"You believe in Britannia enough to kill me, your own brother?" Lelouch asked, almost smiling at the situation.

"Like you killed Clovis? Like you killed Odysseus?" Cornelia growling angrily.

"Cornelia, please!" Euphemia pleaded. Cornelia glanced at her sister, only for her attention to be drawn back by Lelouch's laughter. Lelouch bent over, still laughing uncontrollably.

"What's so funny?!" Cornelia asked, stepping forward, pressing her gun to his chest.

"The irony is palpable," Lelouch said, still laughing. "Lelouch the kinslayer, killed by his kin." Cornelia recoiled, just for a second. Lelouch jumped into action, bending her arm at the elbow and kicking a leg out from his sister, then knocked the pistol from her grip. Throwing her across the room, Lelouch bent and picked up the pistol.

"I'm sorry Cornelia, I don't have the time or inclination to convince you of the truth," Lelouch said, emptying the pistol before he tossed it back to her. "Britannia is rotten to the core. This is one tree that must be refreshed with the blood of patriots, and tyrants." As Lelouch turned away, Cornelia spoke again.

"Which are you? Patriot, or Tyrant?" Lelouch looked over his shoulder, grinning.

"That's exactly the problem, Cornelia. Everyone who fights for Britannia is both."

0.0.0

Kallen entered Ohgi's apartment and immediately saw the two bodies. She dropped to her knees beside the two and began to feel for their pulses, calling out desperately. No wonder she hadn't seen Ohgi. It had been almost four hours since the Black Rebellion had begun.

"It's too late," Lelouch's somber voice said from the corner, startling Kallen. Lelouch was sitting in the corner, head in his hand, dressed in a black suit.

"He's..." Kallen let the sentence drop off, already knowing what Ohgi was. Lelouch stood, dominating the shadowed corner of the room. "Does the death ever stop?" Lelouch stood in place, not responding to Kallen's question.

"No," he said, flatly. He began to walk past her, speaking as he did. "You can't stop death, Kallen. It's an immutable fact of life." Kallen absorbed these words, looking down at Ohgi. Slowly the thought drove her tears to begin to build up in her eyes. She thought of Naoto, of Ohgi, and she finally broke down and began to cry.

"Why?" she sobbed, her head bowed, "Why does this happen?" Lelouch's arm grabbed her bicep and pulled her up and turning her, throwing his arms around her. Kallen threw her arms around his neck, crying into his neck, sobbing loudly as she did.

"Kallen," Lelouch said softly in her ear, "I have to go, and I'm not sure if I'll see you again."

"No," Kallen sobbed, holding Lelouch tighter.

"Kallen," Lelouch admonished, leaning his head against hers.

"Lelouch, I love you," Kallen said hoarsely. Lelouch sighed. "Lelouch, please, I need you to hold me like you used to. I need your love again."

"I can't, Kallen," Lelouch began only to be interrupted by Kallen again.

"I don't care about Euphemia! Please, just hold me! Hold me like you did before!" Lelouch's arms dropped from around her, and Kallen noticed as Lelouch's body language closed. "Lelouch, you love me, don't you?"

"I'm sorry," Lelouch finally said, softly. "I thought I did." Kallen threw herself back away from Lelouch, her foot bumping into Ohgi's form on the floor. She looked at Ohgi, and then back to Lelouch, only to see him gone. She rushed out of the apartment and saw his back receding from her.

"You can't!" Kallen shouted, running after him. "You can't leave me like that!" She grabbed his shoulder and forced him against the wall, then forced her lips to his. She kissed him, trying to force him to reciprocate. When he didn't kiss her back, she backed away, pressing her back to the opposite wall, opposite Lelouch.

"You can't even comfort me?" Kallen asked, hurt. Lelouch just met her gaze, stone-faced.

"I'm sorry," Lelouch repeated, flatly. Lelouch continued down the hall, leaving Kallen alone in the hallway. She began to cry silently to herself.

0.0.0

Milly was sitting in the living room with Euphemia, frowning to herself. She smiled to Sayoko as the maid set down a pair of teacups before the two women. Sayoko smiled and nodded, walking away.

"Euphemia," Milly began stirring her tea without caring about her tea, "I need you to stay with Lelouch, no matter what happens. Can't you feel it? It's the end, of his crusade, of the world as we know it. Everything will be different after this."

"I will," Euphemia promised, sincerely.

"If you get a chance to rebuild Britannia," Milly said, smiling to herself as she stroked her tea cup. "I'd like to put in a selfish request. I met Lelouch in Japan in my family's school. When he escaped, he came to me for help. And I did, but I had to marry Lloyd, and I didn't get to pick who I wanted. I just want a chance to pick my own choice. Isn't that what the future is about?"

"I'll try my hardest," Euphemia said, smiling. "Lelouch is lucky to have you as a friend."

"I'm..." Milly said, then hesitated, frowning as she considered her words. "I was friends with Lelouch when he went to school in my family's school. When Lelouch showed up on my door, over five years later, he had nowhere else to go. Then when he started his revolution, I helped him. Because I'm a caged bird. Trapped in a path because I was born into it. I wanted my own freedom. Lelouch's future...that's a future where I can choose my own path."

Euphemia absorbed this, thoughtful. She saw C in her peripheral vision. A thought struck her and she stood, walking over to C, stopping the immortal in her tracks.

"C," Euphemia asked, sincerely, "can I ask a favor?"

0.0.0

Lelouch strode through the streets of Pendragon. His zero mask and cloak were everywhere. It had quickly become a game to the people of the city, see how long they could run around in a certain place before someone came to arrest them. Lelouch smiled as they knocked down propaganda signs, spraying paint over others that they couldn't knock down.

He saw the Aries Palace, and noticed the lack of security. But the Avalon was directly above it. So, their final confrontation was on the Avalon. His phone rang, and he pulled it from his coat pocket and saw it was Gottwald. He answered it, holding it to his face.

'Zero?' came Schneizel's voice over the phone. Lelouch pressed a button on the side of the phone to mask his voice.

"Prince Schneizel. I take it our meeting has been moved to the Avalon?"

'It has,' Schneizel said. 'Shall I expect you soon?'

"In an hour and a half," Lelouch promised. "As soon as you deliver the Emperor you have my mask." Lelouch smiled to himself and closed the phone, ending the call.

0.0.0

Lelouch was in his sanctum, for the final time. His Zero costume was before him, suit, cloak, helmet, sword, everything. He grabbed his helmet and looked at his reflection in its visor, his Geass burning in his eyes. He set the helmet down, reverently and dressed, pulling his pants and shirt on. He carefully, ritualistically, wrapped the silken scarf around his neck, then pinned it to his shirt in the front.

He pulled his boots on over his sock-clad feet, pulling them tight, then running a hand down one, crumpling the leather. He pulled his belt on, his sword attached to it at his hip, a holster on the other. He donned the purple and gold jacket, and stood, dressed in his suit. He pulled his gloves on, pulling them tight.

His cloak flapped like a raven's wings as he whipped it around his back, and attaching it at the front. He reached down and met his helmet face-to-visor again, stone-faced.

"Mother, Nunnally," Lelouch whispered to himself, "Xingke, Tianzi, Tohdoh, Rivalz, Milly, Urabe, my Black Knights...Kallen, tonight our work is done. Tonight the world dies. And at dawn, it will be reborn." He turned his helmet to where he was staring into the inside of it. He pressed it over his face, and the helmet extended to protect his head.

The shadows seemed to gather around him as he stood straighter, now Zero, the Warlock.

0.0.0

He walked past the Black Knights toward the Raven, silently, not acknowledging the nods from his knights. He paused at Milly and Rivalz, who stood side by side next to the Raven. He looked over at them, and nodded, once. Then he turned to his Black Knights, his cloak swirling around his feet as he did. He noted that Kallen wasn't there.

" _My Black Knights. Tonight, my work is done. I won't appoint a new leader. Your path is yours to choose, and yours alone."_ The knights' glanced, uncertain, among themselves as Zero spoke. _"Use your oath to guide your path. Build a better world than the one I destroy now."_ With that, Lelouch bowed, a traditional Japanese bow, and turned away, standing straight.

He climbed into his Raven, closing the cockpit, feeling C's body behind him. As he turned on the light, he removed his helmet, sighing.

"C," Lelouch said, typing over his keyboard. "Are you ready?"

"I've always been ready," Euphemia's voice said from behind him. Lelouch looked over his shoulder, surprised. Euphemia was wearing a white pilot's uniform, smiling down at him. Lelouch sighed, thinking about removing her, but she'd just ignore him.

"How good a Knightmare Frame pilot are you?" Lelouch asked. Euphemia smiled.

"I've got a class 4 rating," Euphemia said proudly. Lelouch smiled. That wasn't a combat rating, but it was good enough for what she would need to do.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Lelouch asked, smiling at her coyly.

"I'll follow you anywhere, Lelouch," Euphemia said, determined. Lelouch smiled wider and looked ahead.

"It's time to meet my maker, and repay him in kind," Lelouch declared, and launched the Raven, shooting up into the air.

0.0.0

Schneizel was sitting in the throne of the Avalon. He kept an eye on the digital clock, counting how long Zero had until he was late. The Avalon floated in the air around him, almost entirely silent. He smiled to himself as the clocked ticked. Zero's time was up. But as he looked back at the center screen, the black Knightmare with wings was in the center screen.

"It just came out of nowhere!" Cecile said, still in awe at the appearance. Zero's visage filled the screen, and Schneizel smiled at the video communication.

" _As promised, Prince Schneizel zi Britannia._ " Schneizel sat up, politely nodding.

"I have the individual you requested in my possession," Schneizel said, matter-of-factly.

" _I see,"_ Zero said, pausing for a second. _"And the Fleija weapons? Once you have Zero, what is to keep you from unleashing them on any who oppose you?"_

"You are the only force able to combat Britannia. I have no need of the Fleija when the entire world is on the verge of collapse anyway," Schneizel said. "Also, you will have to come aboard in order to accept delivery."

" _Of course,"_ came Zero's voice from behind Schneizel. Schneizel stood and turned in surprise, to see Zero flanked by two squads of Britannian soldiers. Schneizel was awestruck. How did he manage to get inside the Avalon. And the video...

"You predicted what I would say?" Schneizel asked, incredulous. When Zero didn't answer, Schneizel scowled.

" _Now,"_ Zero said, standing as tall as Schneizel in the bridge of the airship, _"The Emperor. Take me to him."_ Schneizel scowled and nodded. Zero gestured to the elevator. Schneizel frowned as he headed into the elevator. As he pressed a button to go down to the observatory level. As Zero stepped into the elevator with him, he pressed a small signaling device, hidden from the cloaked figure.

0.0.0

Euphemia flew the Raven around the Avalon, avoiding a clear line of sight with the gun turrets. As she did, she saw the Ikaruga, the Black Knights airship floating in the air. A red light was circling the large airship. Kallen.

0.0.0

Zero stood with Schneizel in the elevator, keeping an eye on the older Britannian prince. The older man seemed quite annoyed with Zero. That made Lelouch smile, even as Schneizel's face was twisted into a frown.

" _You seem annoyed that I actually came to collect,"_ Lelouch said as Zero. Schneizel eyed Lelouch, who smiled to himself as he leaned against the corner, crossing his legs and arms.

"Not at all," Schneizel said, adopting his traditional cordial smile. "I was merely upset that you seemed to have penetrated the Avalon with such ease." Schneizel was mixing lies with truth. Lelouch was pondering that when the door opened. He saw Charles zi Britannia, standing in the center of the inverted glass and steel dome, with Nunnally.

" _The Emperor, and the Prime Minister,"_ Lelouch said, faking confidence. Internally, Lelouch was stunned. He hadn't expected Nunnally to be here. He stepped out of the elevator, in his surprise, letting Schneizel behind him. He heard the safety of the pistol click and froze. Then Charles smiled and rose his own pistol. Except, Charles never smiled. A double?

" _The Emperor is not here,"_ Zero said, looking over his shoulder. Schneizel smiled. _"Where is he then, Prince Schneizel?"_

"To be honest, he's dead," Schneizel said, aiming his pistol into Zero's back. Lelouch turned to look at his older brother. The Emperor was dead? Lelouch scowled to himself.

" _You used a Geass to kill him."_ It wasn't a question.

"You-" Schneizel said, surprised, then smiled again. "You possess Geass yourself. Well yes, I used a Geass to kill him. And then I used a Geass user to impersonate him while I gave all the orders."

" _A puppet Emperor,"_ Zero said, scornfully. _"To mask yourself. And because you murdered the Lady Marianne to get rid of Charles's chosen male heir."_ Clovis's attempt to convince Lelouch that he was the chosen prince to inherit the throne, the reason for the murder, his imprisonment. Pieces fell into place like dominoes.

"Yes, Lelouch," Schneizel said. "Prodigal, but lazy, and would've destroyed Britannia. So I had Marianne killed and used my Geass to drive Lelouch temporarily insane, until I could have him sent to the Geass Institute, which I controlled with V."

" _And V went along with it?"_ Lelouch asked, curious. Schneizel smiled.

"Charles no longer could support Ragnarok. But I was able to convince V that I would. That commoner Marianne. She complicated so many matters. Her and that witch." C. Could Marianne have used a Geass to achieve her position? Lelouch used his Geass to nudge Schneizel into divulging more. "Marianne's Geass was the ability to make someone love her, unconditionally." Hidden by his mask, Lelouch's eyes widened.

" _What?"_ Lelouch asked.

"It's true," Nunnally said, and Lelouch looked over to see Nunnally and Kanon. Schneizel's assistant. No wonder. Lelouch had to focus.

" _What is your part in this, Prime Minister?"_

"I'm the one who will trigger Ragnarok with this," Nunnally said. She held out her hand and golden light splayed across her hands, forming into a sword, golden, and crystalline just like the Sword of Akasha. "The sword named Code Geass."

"It's a key," came V's voice, and Lelouch looked over his shoulder to see V in the corner of the room, walking out slowly. Lelouch was surrounded. It was almost time to play his last move. "A key to control the Sword of Akasha."

" _I see,"_ Lelouch said, turning around so he could face all three of the angles around him. _"It's a control mechanism that you will use to have the Sword of Akasha destroy the collective unconscious of humanity."_

"More like bind it with humanity," Schneizel corrected, lowering his pistol to his side. "The thought elevators contain the whole story. The Gods made the sword to create those with the abilities of god. You know of that ability. There are only two now."

" _Code,"_ Zero finished.

"And, those people with the power of god, could further give others the power of Kings. Geass. Our Empire's great father, Eowyn, used Geass to unite our ancient tribes into an empire and lead them across the sea to our homeland. Time has diminished the knowledge, but the story does exist." Zero scoffed at Schneizel's explanation.

"It's not that unbelievable, Lelouch," V said. Lelouch frowned as Schneizel's eyes widened. Now he didn't even have that defense. Lelouch reached up for his Zero mask, and removed it, releasing his face to Schneizel's stunned gaze.

"Lelouch?" Nunnally asked, stunned. "But...you were dead! At least we thought you were!" Lelouch looked at Nunnally, smiling.

"I wish you could see my face," Lelouch said, smiling somberly.

"But Lelouch," Nunnally said, frowning and holding the golden sword closer to her, "you were the reason I agreed to Ragnarok. I'll be able to see you and mother again!"

"But Nunnally," Lelouch said, disapproving. "There's no life in that plan. It's a past without a future. Even if you get to spend an eternity with those you love, nothing will happen. It may give some people solace, but nothing else."

"Nunnally," came Schneizel's voice, soothingly. "You can't stop now. Think of Marianne. Of Clovis. You can be with them. You can be with them all. As soon as the thought elevators are activated, we can implement Ragnarok."

"That's assuming I won't stop you," Lelouch said, turning to face Schneizel, determination in his purple eyes, facing Schneizel's blue confident orbs.

"That's assuming," Schneizel said, echoing his own words, "that I'm some movie villain explaining his plan before I execute it. I wouldn't explain this unless we had already implemented it." Lelouch smiled and pressed the signaler under his cloak.

0.0.0

Euphemia flew the black Knightmare underneath the Avalon, sighted the observation dome, and fired the hadron cannon, just like Lelouch had showed her. It disabled the float system, and the Avalon's green energy-discharging sections flickered and died, and the air-fortress began to fall.

0.0.0

Lelouch moved into action as the ship rocked from the blast, punching Schneizel back and scooping up the pistol. He aimed at Kanon and fired, killing the assistant before he could fire. V watched as Lelouch moved, smiling to himself. Further explosions rocked the airship. Lelouch had planted a dozen commands across the crew of the Avalon, using his extra time to completely disable the Avalon's defenses and weapons.

He escaped the observation dome, and ran right into Suzaku. The younger man's eyes widened in realization and kicked out, knocking Lelouch over. The other two Knights of the Rounds drew their swords.

"Wait!" Schneizel called, and Lelouch was forced to the ground. Schneizel walked over and smiled down at Lelouch, confident.

"I've had your own people disable the Avalon's offense and defense, how long do you think you'll last against the Ikaruga without those?" Lelouch asked, smiling.

"Longer, if its former commander orders them to stand down," Schneizel said, and smiled wider, Geass lighting up both of his eyes. Lelouch's eyes widened as he saw the Geass. "I'll tell you the truth, I also sealed Nunnally's eyes and legs. Her injuries were imagined."

"You were the one, you destroyed Suzaku's memory, and Nunnally's life," Lelouch said, angrily. "You destroyed everything I loved."

"It's amazing that you focus on only yourself," Schneizel said. "Well done, Suzaku, for capturing him before he escaped." Suzaku bowed, keeping his knee on Lelouch's chest.

"Suzaku, look at me!" Lelouch ordered. Suzaku ignored him, and Lelouch grunted angrily. Schneizel raised an arm theatrically.

"I Schneizel zi Britannia," Schneizel said, waving his arm imperiously, "engrave into your mind false memories of a false truth! From now on, you shall serve me!" Lelouch realized how Schneizel's Geass worked. Memories. Lelouch began to laugh. How lucky he was... He laughed at the top of his lungs. Schneizel's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"I never mentioned this," Lelouch said, talking to almost to himself, "But my Geass can be used to command myself, as well. When I escaped, I ordered myself to remember, everything. You can't destroy my memory, because my own Geass order prevents it." Lelouch opened his eyes, his Geass burning through his vision as he looked at both of the Knights of the Rounds.

"Lelouch vi Britannia commands you," Lelouch said, his voice echoing with authority, "give me command of the Avalon." Gino Weinburg and Anya Alstreim moved into action.

"Too late," came V's voice, and the entire Avalon was engulfed in gold light.

0.0.0

Lelouch awoke in his Zero uniform, in the Sword of Akasha. He sat up and saw Euphemia next to him. Schneizel and Nunnally were in the other side of the sword, by the massive enveloped form of the god of this world. V was facing Lelouch, smiling. Euphemia stirred next to him, and propped herself up on her hands, wedging a knee under her body.

"Lelouch," Euphemia asked, perturbed, "where are we?"

"Dear Niece," V said, smiling, "we're in heaven. We're here to end the horrible reign of the gods that separated you from your love, Lelouch." Lelouch moved his hand to Euphemia's shoulder, who looked at him. He gave her a smile.

"Don't believe a word he says," Lelouch warned, turning serious. "He'll try to mix the truth with lies, to manipulate you."

"You accuse me of something I detest," V said, frowning in anger. "My brother and I formed this plan to end deceit. Yet you children presume to lie to me." Schneizel stood beside V now, smiling. Nunnally was in her wheelchair. A circular piece of the massive crystalline temple removed itself from the floor, a slot like a keyhole in the center, until it was facing them.

"Nunnally," Schneizel told the frail girl, "set the temple to full control." Lelouch saw V frown at Schneizel's words, glancing at the blonde prince.

"Ragnarok won't occur at full control," V said, looking at his blonde nephew. Schneizel smiled and drew a pistol and shot V in the torso, who fell over with a shout. Lelouch drew his own pistol, aiming at Schneizel, who aimed back. Schneizel just aimed and smiled.

"Why would I institute Ragnarok," Schneizel questioned the prone from of the immortal, "when I can use the sword to achieve complete dominance of the world?" Lelouch hissed between his teeth. Complete domination, using the gods to control all of humanity.

"Schneizel," Nunnally said, leaning forward, pleading, "you mean you were just using me to control the world?"

"Nunnally, if you complete my plan, I can give you your legs and eyes back," Schneizel said, speaking honeyed words. Lelouch could see over the barrel of his gun that Nunnally's will was dissolving at the thought of walking and seeing. "Think about it," Schneizel said, continuing with his smile. Nunnally angled her face down to the sword in her hands. "Just give me the sword."

"Schneizel," Lelouch said, in warning. Schneizel looked back at Lelouch. Lelouch noticed his eyes flicker to behind him and Lelouch spun, suddenly sensing a body behind him. Suzaku kicked him down, sending his pistol scattering across the crystal floor, before falling from the edge. Lelouch slid himself, barely stopping before he hit the edge.

"Suzaku, stop!" Euphemia cried as the white-clad Japanese stood over him, trying to kick him over. Lelouch rolled as Schneizel fired his pistol at him. Lelouch felt a bullet whip through his cloak. He instantly regretted not using his bullet-proof outfit. Lelouch got to one knee just as Suzaku's knee found his jaw, knocking his teeth together. Dazed, Lelouch fell onto his back as Suzaku leaned over him, punching him again. Lelouch shook his head, trying to recover.

Suzaku was holding Euphemia by the throat. Lelouch's throat clenched as he saw Suzaku's eyes. He didn't recognize Euphemia at all. Schneizel's Geass had already done its work on Suzaku. Euphemia was trying to speak around Suzaku's choke hold.

"Suzaku, stop!" Lelouch shouted, desperate. Suzaku held Euphemia over the edge. "No!" he dropped Euphemia. Lelouch twisted, throwing out a hand. Her arm found his, and she swung, almost twisting Lelouch's arm. Despite the pain, Lelouch forced himself to hold on. Suzaku began to attack Lelouch's torso and face again.

Lelouch rolled onto his front to avoid the worst of the damage, facing Euphemia. She looked up at him, fearfully, tears in her eyes. Lelouch hissed as Suzaku's fists found his back, sending racking pain through his body.

"Lelouch," Euphemia pleaded, "you have to drop me. You can't let Schneizel win."

"A little late for that," Schneizel said. Lelouch looked over his shoulder to see Schneizel standing above him, Nunnally standing blank-eyed beside him. "With my Geass I was able to carve their memories from them and implant my own desires."

Lelouch grunted as he tried to pull Euphemia up, his arm screaming. He'd pulled a few muscles, he couldn't pull her up. And he couldn't let her go. Not Euphemia. Nunnally's blank eyes bored into him, lifeless. But Schneizel had made a grave miscalculation. His Geass burned in his eye.

"Help me," Lelouch growled, in pain.

"Help you?" Schneizel said, chuckling in amusement, "why would I help you?"

"I wasn't talking to you, idiot," Lelouch said. Schneizel looked up just in time to be stabbed through the chest by Nunnally. Suzaku began to visciously attack Nunnally as Schneizel dropped to his knees, gasping. Lelouch needed to help her. He began to swing Euphemia.

"I'm going to swing you onto the floor," Lelouch told Euphemia, looking down on her. "You have to get onto the floor, baby." He glanced to see Nunnally bloody on the ground as Suzaku turned to them again. Lelouch swung, and Euphemia rolled back on to the temple. Lelouch jumped to his feet. His sword arm was a wreck. But he was able to use his legs to block Suzaku's kicks, knocking the younger man's feet from below him. Suzaku punched Lelouch's knee, and his knee felt like it exploded.

Lelouch dropped to one knee, but used the opportunity to drive his fist into the back of Suzaku's skull knocking him out. Lelouch glanced over to Schneizel to see the sword gone, and Nunnally was carrying it over to the control slot. Euphemia was vertical. Lelouch had to do something. Nunnally inserted the sword into the slot, and the entire structure began to glow with golden light.

Euphemia helped Lelouch to his feet as the large crystalline structure began to hum with power. C leaned over and helped Euphemia to lift Lelouch, seemingly coming out of nowhere.

"What happened?" C asked, concerned. Lelouch sighed, this was not the time to explain.

"It's a long story. Nunnally set the Sword of Akasha to control the will of humanity." C was stunned at Lelouch's words. She didn't understand it any better than he had. Lelouch looked over to Euphemia to see her face slack and her eyes blank. Was the sword already affecting people? Would he begin to lose his memory, his personality?

"What can we do?" C asked, drawing his gaze again. Lelouch looked around. He hadn't a clue. Nunnally was standing beside the sword, but he'd already used his Geass on her. She'd try to stop him if he tried to adjust the Code Geass.

"Could I use my Geass on that thing?" Lelouch asked, nodding at the consciousness of humanity. C looked at him in surprise.

"I've never tried," C admitted. Lelouch gritted his teeth. Thought his Geass was incredibly powerful, compared to something like Schneizel's or Rolo's, it did use a portion of his own energy. How much would a god require? His purple eyes shifted to the red of his Geass.

"My name is Lelouch vi Britannia," Lelouch declared at the massive being, "and I need your help. So please, I request of you, destroy the Sword of Akasha!" The massive being, normally golden, began to turn red as the Geass took effect. Nunnally blinked as the entire being flashed red, once. Euphemia's hand gripped his arm as two massive cracks appeared in the floor, shaped like the symbol of Geass. The glow died, before the red vanished, and the temple was shut down.

"No..." V said, whimpering. Lelouch saw the small child immortal rising to his feet.

"How the hell do we get back?" Lelouch asked, exhausted. Nunnally fell to her knees, looking around in confusion. When C frowned, not answering, Lelouch limped over to V, looking down at him. "How do we leave?" V winced at Lelouch's angry question.

"The thought elevators," V finally said, weakly. "If you deactivate them, we'll be back."

"Who said anything about we?" Lelouch said. V looked up at him just as Lelouch picked up the tiny immortal. Lelouch threw him to the ground, not releasing his collar, dragging him to the edge of the structure. "Lelouch vi Britannia commands you," Lelouch said as he got to the edge, "die." Lelouch threw the tiny blonde boy down into the gas giant. The boy gave a scream as he fell, until Lelouch couldn't hear him anymore.

"Lelouch," came a weak male voice. Lelouch looked over his shoulder to see Schneizel rolling over in the pool of his blood. Lelouch walked over, as Euphemia walked over to kneel by their older brother. Schneizel watched Lelouch, gasping.

"You should never have killed Marianne," Lelouch said, smirking at the corpse before him.

"Perhaps you're right," Schneizel admitted in a whisper. "With the collective conscious of humanity, I can undo everything."

"What?" Lelouch asked, raising a disgusted eyebrow.

"I can use my Geass to make...it...undo everything," Schneizel gasped, breathing heavily.

"More of your ambition," Lelouch growled, turning away. He heard Schneizel cough.

"Please, Lelouch," Euphemia asked, pleading. "We can't get out of here without him!" Lelouch looked down as he realized Euphemia was right. He had no idea how to turn off the thought elevators, or to leave the sword of Akasha. C had merely brought his mind here, once.

"You'll just recreate the world?" Lelouch asked, turning.

"I can send you back to whatever time you want," Schneizel said. "All I need is the Code Geass. Without the Sword of Akasha, all the Code Geass is good for is enhancing Geass." Lelouch looked over at the sword to see Nunnally withdrawing it. She walked over and handed it to him. An idea struck him.

"I'll stop Marianne's murder," Lelouch told his little sister. He turned to Schneizel. "You'll send me back just in time to stop the murder of my mother. I'll stop you and V. You'll be nothing."

"You think," Schneizel hissed, breathing his last few breaths, "I'll help you to ruin me?" Lelouch looked at Euphemia, who nodded and smiled, before he looked back at Nunnally.

"I wanted to give you a better world," he told his little sister. "And I'll do it." Lelouch's eyes burned with Geass, and he looked back to Schneizel, stepping closer.

"From now on, you shall serve Zero."

0.0.0

9 Years, 11 Months, and 364 Days Ago

Lelouch awoke and was confused at the ceiling. This was a ceiling he hadn't seen in ten years. The ceiling of his bedroom in the Aries Palace, when he'd lived with his mother and sister. Yesterday's events hit his mind in a rush as he remembered what had happened. He'd woken up, standing in the imperial palace, in his eighteen-year-old body. He'd used his Geass to kill the men sent to kill his mother, save one, who he'd used.

Euphemia's pink hair flashed in the corner of his eye, and he looked to see Euphemia, Nunnally, Cornelia and Marianne sitting in his room. Euphemia smiled, standing up and walking over. The others slept as she sat down on the bed.

"You actually did it," she told him, "I wasn't sure you could."

"You remember?" Lelouch said, uncertain. He thought back to the ten year nightmare he'd endured. If he could've had one thing, he'd have preferred to keep Euphemia with him.

"I remember," Euphemia said. "We stood on your mother's grave. We made love, and swore to stay with each other until death separated us. And now," she looked over at the other three women, then back to Lelouch, "now we get to remember how our lives should have been before." Lelouch smiled.

"Well," he said, thoughtfully, "we might have to take over the Geass Order. They're holding C against her will again. And Kallen and Suzaku are young again. All those we lost, they're alive. Britannia's still corrupt."

"Sounds like you're already planning another black rebellion," Euphemia said, softly smiling at her once and future husband. Lelouch sat up, holding her close.

"I think I'll try a different way this time," Lelouch admitted.

"That'd be nice," Euphemia said, before giving him a soft kiss on the lips, barely a peck. "But first, you should talk to father about the succession."


	19. Preview

**The Demon and the Red Moon**

Disclaimer: Code Geass is owned by Sunrise and not me. Please support the official release.  


 _s/11624838/1/The-Demon-and-the-Red-Moon_

 _Answering some Review questions, no, this is not a sequel to The Black Knight. Still working on the title for that one, since it was stolen by somebody else before I could publish. So you know, title suggestions would be cool. Weak Lelouch in the finale? Picture Euphemia falling into Jupiter and the lion king smash cut to Lelouch shouting NOOO... I wrote that Lelouch maintained his Geass, since it's connected TO him through the Collective Unconcious. Suzaku and Nunnally...mmmaybe._

 **Another preview for you, my readers, who were awesome. You guys really made my year with your reviews for this fic. So I'm shoving the new one down your throat, mwa ha ha. This may not be updated as quickly as my last fiction. But I may have a back up writer as well.**

Turn 01-War for Two

Lelouch considered the bodies at his feet. Britannian soldiers. He felt their warm blood on his cheek. So clearly he was still awake. And therefore still alive. But he'd ordered them to die, and they'd obliged. The multiple impossibilities circulated through Lelouch's consciousness. Power. The witch's power, and he felt it behind his left eye, waiting for him.

Dead. Dead for years. Those things father had said to him. How all that he had was given to him by his father. Including Nunnally's disability and their exile. Pain. But this, this father hadn't given him. He owed this to the green-haired enigma who lay dead at his feet. All of these, from the pain to his education, to the power burning bright in his mind, these he could use. Against his father. And Britannia.

"Well then," Lelouch remarked, suddenly excited at the possibilities.

"Ooph!" Rubble was shifted, drawing Lelouch's surprised attention. He looked down into the darkened stairs from which he and the girl had come.

"Who's there?!" he demanded, trying to use his power. When no one came out immediately, Lelouch raised an eyebrow. He'd tried to use the power, but it hadn't drawn the person out. Some kind of limitation? Dammit, now wasn't the time for experimentation to discover his limits. Then the red-haired girl from earlier emerged, leveling a pistol at his direction. "You were the girl from the truck, the one with the Knightmare."

"I'm the one asking questions here!" the girl replied angrily. Walking up from the underground tunnel, she leveled her gun at him with both hands. Lelouch hesitated. How much did she know? Had she heard his command? That would mean she heard his name. His real name. "How did you kill these men? How did you make them commit suicide like that."

"Magic," Lelouch answered after a moment of thought, smirking. "Here, I'll show you-"

"If you try anything, I'll kill you. Lelouch vi Britannia," she declared, stepping closer, the pistol still held in both hands. Lelouch's eyes narrowed, in concern. "What are you doing here in Shinjuku? Admiring your country's handiwork?"

"It's not like I wanted to be here," Lelouch commented, running his hand through his hair in annoyance. But it was all an act. Inside he was intensely worried. "Are you an Eleven?"

"I'm Japanese!" she corrected, forcefully. She jammed the gun even closer, and Lelouch threw his hands up in surprise. "Filthy Britannian, always leaving us Japanese out in the mud. I hate your kind. You think your so superior to everybody else, just because you belong to a bigger country!"

"I meant no offense," Lelouch apologized, smiling sincerely this time. "And your right. They do enjoy leaving us in the dirt."

"What us? You're not Japanese," the woman pointed out. Lelouch frowned, conceding the point. He glanced away, then back to the red head, thoughtfully.

"But I am an Eleven," he said, drawing the girl's surprise. Lelouch looked away, frowning to himself. "The Eleventh prince of Britannia, yet here I am, discarded like a piece of trash. I guess we're similar in that regard." He lowered his raised hands slightly, then looked back to her. "I'm going to lower my hands because my arms are getting tired." The girl looked at him, dumbstruck as he lowered his hands to his sides.

"Wait a minute," she cried, shaking her head, remembering what was going on, "that's not the point!" Lelouch raised an eyebrow, curious. "We could use you as a hostage to get Britannia to leave Japan!" Lelouch instantly thought this plan through. Even if Charles considered him valuable, his value would be eliminated as soon as he was used as leverage against Britannia.

"Clearly you don't understand Britannia," Lelouch commented. The redhead's face blazed with anger at the comment. Before she could speak. "You're not thinking the situation through. Why am I here? I'll tell you. I was used as a hostage to give Japan a false bargaining chip against Britannia. They invaded anyway, risking my life, and didn't bother to try to find me after. I think you're overstating my value by several orders of magnitude. And even if they decide I'm worth something now, it'd be more likely they would pursue you even more to free me from your clutches."

The girl's face twisted into increasingly uncertainty as Lelouch spoke. She gritted her teeth, eyes narrowing, brow furrowed in worry. Lelouch cocked his head to the side slightly, giving her a friendly smile. She gave him distrusting look.

"And yet, if you kill me, if they discover my body, they'll attack you even more." Lelouch found himself admiring the girl as she lowered the pistol a fraction of an inch. "But," he added, surprising the girl, "I guess you don't need me." The girl was lost in thought, still pointing the gun at him. Ignoring her, Lelouch walked over to one of the bodies and turned it over, ignoring the gunshot. He picked the radio off of the body and examined it.

"What are you doing?!" the girl demanded, swinging the gun back to point at his kneeling form.

"I could use this radio to intercept their transmissions," Lelouch explained, thoughtfully. "But I don't know any of their codes or designations." He narrowed his eyes, looking off into space. "Maybe I could order someone to tell me." The radio issued a burble of static.

One of the walls suddenly burst, and in rolled a purple and crimson Knightmare. Lelouch jumped to a standing position in surprise.

"Get rid of the gun!" Lelouch shouted. The girl looked at the pistol in her hand in surprise and threw it away, then lowered her hands to her side quickly. The Knightmare leveled its assault rifle. Lelouch let the power flow into his eye, aiming it directly at the machine. "Give me your Knightmare."

" _Excuse me?"_ the pilot replied, angrily. It was a woman's voice. But the Knightmare didn't open. Lelouch narrowed his eyes. _"You've got a lot of nerve."_ Did it require direct eye contact. Thinking of the incident with the girl, Lelouch considered this. Maybe the combination of eye contact and verbal command. _"Are you a Britannian student?"_

"Uh," Lelouch began, switching to his student tone, "Yes! I'm the son of a duke! My girlfriend and I were playing around when...the battle!"

"I'm not your girlfriend!" the girl hissed, angrily.

"Shut up, do you wanna die?" Lelouch hissed back, gritting his teeth in the corner of his mouth. "If you got us out of here, my father would surely reward you! My identification card is in my breast pocket, I can show you if you like." He began to reach for it, just a farce.

" _Don't move!"_ the woman ordered over the Knightmare's speakers. _"I'll get it."_ the back hatch of the Knightmare opened, and Lelouch smirked. The woman who climbed out was tall, but not much taller than the red head, and similarly built. Lelouch's raised hands bore false witness to who was really in charge. "You're the son of a duke?" Lelouch's eye turned red.

"Give me your Knightmare and your clothes," Lelouch ordered.

0.0.0

When Villeta was aware of her own actions again, she was dressed only in a brown Britannian soldier's long coat. She jumped in alarm, crying out. She looked over to the bodies. A dead man's coat, too. This was so humiliating! What the hell had happened? Then she noticed that one of the soldiers, dressed in a combat coverall, was actually trying to get up, grunting in the effort. Villeta ran over, snatching up a radio.

0.0.0

Lelouch was looking through the various maps and screens in the Sutherland's cockpit. With what he had he could take out a few units. Even with his piloting skills. Or lack thereof. He reminded himself to run the Ganymede more. He looked over his shoulder at Kallen. She was staring intently into a radio as the battle was raging over the radio waves.

"How are your friends doing?" He asked her loudly, drawing her attention. She frowned angrily at him, making him frown with disinterest. Her anger at him made her less appealing, he decided.

"They'd be doing better if they had that Knightmare!" Kallen pointed out, standing from her crouched position atop a small mound of rubble. Lelouch narrowed his eyes. They needed more than one Knightmare. One Knightmare could win a skirmish, but little else. They needed a small army of Knightmares. He examined the map. There was no way he could order the pilots out of the machines. Even if he could get one to get out, they'd quickly start figuring it out. Then he noticed a curious sight. He checked the map. It was on the monorail.

"What about twelve?" he asked Kallen, stunning her speechless. He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Get changed, we have work to do." He looked back to the screen.

"You're joking!" Kallen shouted angrily, making Lelouch growl. He looked back at her. "You think I'm just going to follow your orders like a maid? I'm a proud member of the Japanese resistance against your kind! If anything you should take orders from me!" Lelouch waited a second as she ceased her ranting.

"Are you done?" he asked, irritated. Kallen huffed in anger. "Who do you think is the enemy commander?" Kallen blinked at the question. "I'll give you a hint. His last name is Britannia. Only one person in the Royal Family ever beat me in chess. I can beat him here. That's why I give the orders."

"You're joking. I'm not going to follow your orders!" Kallen argued, holding her fists out at her sides. Lelouch stood in the seat of the Sutherland.

"Do you want to win?" Lelouch asked angrily. "If not, fine!" He sat down again. "I can break out on my own."

"Wait!" Kallen demanded. Lelouch froze. Her tone was desperate. She wanted to win. "What is your plan? How are you going to defeat them?" Lelouch looked over his shoulder. Her face was angry, certainly, but she had a desperate hope in her eyes.

"Get changed. I'll explain along the way," Lelouch promised, looking away again. Kallen picked up the purple uniform by the shoulders and scanned it with a grimace.

"It doesn't leave a lot to the imagination," she commented as she started to unbutton her vest. Lelouch blinked his eyes wider. "You think we can defeat Britannia?" Lelouch looked over his shoulder at her, suddenly annoyed.

"You don't think so?" Lelouch asked, suddenly curious. His mind stopped mid step as he saw her nearly bare back, only broken by her pink bra straps. Her skin was smooth. Perfect. Part of Lelouch's mind wanted to have it close so he could feel it. His eyes widened and he looked back to his lap, blushing. He heard her clothes rustling again and he looked to see her dropping her shorts and leggings.

"It's just not something I think we're capable of," Kallen admitted. Lelouch's mind was an empty hollow. "Hey, you better not be looking!" Kallen looked over her shoulder and saw Lelouch examining over a map, his hand on his chin. She looked away again. Unseen to Kallen, Lelouch was blushing and biting down on his finger hard to focus.

0.0.0

"Are you having a bad day?!" came a loud voice. Suzaku looked up to see a white-haired man standing over him. The nearly silver blonde hair hung over some of his glasses. Before him sat a brunnette woman wearing the standard Britannian uniform. Suzaku blinked and looked up. "You nearly got to go to heaven."

"This stopped the bullet," the brunette woman said, holding out something in a white tissue. Suzaku reached out and she handed it to him. With a start, Suzaku realized what it was. His watch. Father...forgive me. The glass over the face was cracked. "Was it a keepsake?"

"You Elevens have your gods for everything!" the silver-haired man commented. Suzaku winced, then frowned, saddened. He noticed his surroundings and looked around in surprise. An ambulance? How did he get here? "We're still in the shinjuku ghetto."

"Is Lelo-is the fight still going on?" The white haired man blinked in surprise at Suzaku's question.

"Mmhmm," he hummed in the positive, disappointed. "It looks like the poison gas was released. There are many eleven casualties." Suzaku looked down, his teeth gritted. More of his people dying for no reason. "Say, Private Kururugi, do you have experience piloting a Knightmare frame?"

0.0.0

"I still think you should've let me drive," Kallen said in Lelouch's lap. They were heading for the west entrance. Lelouch sighed in annoyance. "What, you don't like it when a woman has an opinion?" Lelouch rolled his eyes. A rebel and a feminist.

"I wouldn't call you much of a woman just yet," Lelouch commented. He gasped when he realized how it sounded and looked back at Kallen. "I mean, you're still so young! Uh..."

"You could let me drive as an apology," Kallen teased, smiling. Lelouch stopped at her expression, his eyes going wide in sudden recognition. He stopped the Knightmare and moved his hands to her hair, holding it down over Kallen's protests.

"You're a student from Asheford Academy," Lelouch muttered in realization. Before Kallen could reply, another voice interrupted over the radio.

'You! What's your name and unit?' came Jeremiah Gottwald's voice. Lelouch blinked and looked around. He saw a pair of Knightmares approaching. Lelouch gritted his teeth.

"I was sent to secure the shipment in case the terrorists tried to capture it," Lelouch lied into his radio. Kallen blinked at his words. He hadn't explained that far into his plans. Meanwhile Lelouch used the time to prepare to fire.

'What shipment?' Lelouch fired his slash harkens. The twin anchors ripped into the sutherland's chest and triggered the auto-eject. Then Lelouch fired his assault rifle, ripping the other unit to shreds. Another projectile struck the Sutherland. It was a rocket-propelled grenade. Lelouch traced the source to see a group of men with red headbands.

"Friends of yours?" Lelouch asked. Kallen looked over her shoulder to see what Lelouch was looking for at his right. Lelouch began scanning with his fact-sphere sensor in the Sutherland's face. The small scanning window stopped on a man with curly brown hair.

"Ohgi!" she shouted. She pressed on the third red button on the Sutherland's radio console. "Ohgi, I'm in here!" The face's eyes shot wide in surprise and recognition. Lelouch just waited patiently, eyes narrowed in boredom.

'Kallen? How did you get a Sutherland?' the man asked, over the Knightmare's sound system.

"Don't tell them about me," Lelouch said. He winced when he heard his voice echo over the speaker system. He gritted his teeth and looked back at Ohgi. "You there, are you the leader? I can help you defeat the Britannian forces here, but you must do exactly what I say." Ohgi narrowed his eyes, mouth turning into a thin line from suspicion and thought.

'What do you want me to do?' Ohgi asked. Another man began to loudly argue against following Lelouch. Lelouch personally ignored the argument entirely.

"We're waiting," Lelouch said, looking up at the ceiling of the cockpit, straining to hear.

'Waiting for what?' Ohgi asked, confused. Lelouch heard it, the sound of wheels on track.

"Be right back," Lelouch said, and began to ascend between two columns, land-spinners pressed against them. As soon as he was atop the raised railway. He aimed at the automated train and fired the assault rifle. The rounds ripped up the electric motors, and train's humming ceased and it began to slow. Lelouch put his Sutherland in front of the train and began to push it to a stop.

"What was that for?" Kallen asked angrily. Lelouch gave her a smirk and moved the Sutherland to the side of one of the train cars. He lifted one of the many doors, and revealed the cargo within. Kallen's eyes went wide as she took in the site. "Oh, that's..."

Ohgi saw the Knightmare drop back over the side of the rails and hold out a hand to them.

'Are you ready to fight for justice?' Ohgi's eyebrows shot up.

Kallen undid the many doors along the train, revealing more and more Sutherlands. Ohgi's jaw dropped as he took in the sight of the many Knightmares. The Sutherland with the red markings joined the rest of the resistance group atop the tracks.

'You'll be able to fight evenly with your opponent now. Our struggle requires greater weapons than we have now,' Lelouch said through the Sutherland. 'So therefore I give you the contents of this train. We'll need them.'

"What's this 'we' crap?" Tamaki shouted in his usual aggressive arguing tone. "Why don't you come out that Knightmare and show us your face?" Kallen turned at the argument. She was wondering if Lelouch really would reveal who he was. She gritted her teeth in hesitation. Could she? Should she? Before she could speak, Lelouch interrupted.

'You can call me Zero,' Lelouch said over his speakers. Kallen blinked as he spoke. 'With these weapons and my commands, you can beat Britannia. I'll give you designations as soon as your ready in your Knightmares. They should operate the same as the Glasgow your used to.' Ohgi saw Tamaki giving him an angry glare.

"Everybody, pick a Knightmare," Ohgi ordered. Kallen smiled as the resistance members walked over to the many machines. Ohgi stopped beside her, eying her new uniform. "Change of wardrobe? That's not your usual look."

'After we defeat the army we're going to deal with its commander. I've engaged Kallen into a plan after we take out the rest of the force,' Lelouch explained. 'I hope you don't mind.' Ohgi just eyed the Knightmare with some suspicion. 'It's perfectly fine if you feel it's too dangerous.' Kallen walked over and stood beside Ohgi with a anger written over her face.

"Can you promise she won't get hurt?" Ohgi asked, demanding a commitment from the boy in the giant death machine. Kallen looked at the Sutherland with her own curiosity.

'No,' the machine replied. 'This is war. There may not be casualties today, but we will eventually lose people. But for today, she'll be safe. The task at hand will be simple. Now, get ready. I'm going to begin the plan.'


End file.
